About 1 month ago, my family and I went through a difficult situation. My sister and her husband lost their baby 6 months into the pregnancy. Because she was so far along, she had to deliver the baby, name him and have a funeral. It was a difficult time for all of us. I remember telling numerous people that no one should ever have to go through something like that EVER. After talking with different people, I was surprised to hear that this kind of stuff happens more often than I thought. My heart goes out to any parent who has gone through something like.
Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for the GOOD of those who love God and are called according to HIS purpose. That describes me, so something good must come from it. But what good could come from such a tragic situation?
The funeral took place on a Tuesday morning with only my immediate family there (my parents, brother, sister, her husband and my wife). It was then God impressed upon me what I needed to learn from this experience-the importance of family. As we sat together and mourned over the loss of a life we barely knew, all I could think of was the number of times I have taken my family for granted. It is unfortunate that it took such a tragic event to remind me of this, but that is how God sometimes works.
I don’t know how God used this difficult time “for the good” of the rest of my family, but for me it was clear. In the end, our time together on this earth is short, and your family is one of the only things you have.
Thank you Matthew Ryan Fogle for your brief, but impactful life.
Tags: Family
March 20, 2008 at 9:39 am |
Oh Fred! I’m so sorry to hear that you and your family had to go through this. I understand how difficult it can be.
I recently signed up to volunteer with a great organization that deals with issues exactly like this. Its called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. You can find out more about the organization at http://www.NILMDTS.com. They offer bereavement photography to the families in a way to help them remember the life that was lost as well as start the healing process. I know this is no longer an option for your situation; however, please share this information with others that may be experiencing the same pain of losing an infant.
As always, I’ll be praying for you and your family.
~Melissa Powell
March 20, 2008 at 10:10 am |
we have friends who’ve gone through numerous miscarriages. it is hard to stand by helplessly and watch.