 His legacy |
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Before Our Child Came to Earth
A Baby Asked God...
A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to Earth tomorrow,
but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"
God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of
you."
The child further inquired, but tell me, here in Heaven I don't have to
do anything but sing, and smile, and be happy."
God said, "Your angel will sing for you, and will also smile for you.
And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."
Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when
people talk to me if I don't know the language?"
God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words
you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will
teach you how to speak."
"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"
God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you
how to pray."
"Who will protect me?"
God said, "Your angel will defend you, even if it means risking its
life."
"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."
God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me, and will teach
you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to
you."
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth
could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave
now, please tell me my angel's name."
"You will simply call her, "Mom."
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Feelings of a Mother ( Submitted By Tom's Mom)
Don’t Think I Do Not
Grieve
by Brenda Penepent
Don’t think I do not feel;
because you see no tears.
A river rages deep inside
of grief, and loss, and fears.Just because I do not cry now,
don’t think my heart’s not broken.
I keep inside the misery
of words not to be spoken.
Sometimes I smile, or crack a joke,
so you won’t see the pain;
or notice how my hands will shake,
or how I’ve gone insane.
Each time I chance to think of him,
my heart is ripped asunder.
The loss I feel is mine alone.
you will not see my thunder.
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Serenity
God grant me the
Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change;
Courage
to change the
things I can;
and the
Wisdom
to know the difference
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I Do Believe
I Do Believe
by Jennifer Janiszewski
There is nothing i can do,
to make him come back
There are no words I can say,
that can replace the words you long to hear
There are no answer's I can give,
that will satisfy your questions
There is not another soul I can introduce you to that will ever replace his
And, there is no love I can offer that will ever replace the love you shared
I can not promise your broken heart will ever be complete
I will not say it could have been worse
I will not deny it was a tragedy
I will not lie and tell you he will come back
He never really left
I do promise he hears you when you speak
I will say he loves you no matter the distance
I will not deny he is in a better place
And, I will not lie; he is waiting to greet you someday
He is every you step you take
He is in everything you do
He is the air you breathe
He is every beat of your heart
" He is like the wind. You can not see him...but you will always feel him"
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When I'm Gone
When I’m Gone
When I come to the end of my journey
And I travel my last weary mile,
Just forget if you can, that I ever frowned
And only remember my smile,
Forget unkind words I have spoken;
Remember some good I have done.
Forget that I ever had heartache
And remember I had loads of fun.
Forget that I have stumbled and blundered
And sometimes fell by the way.
Remember I have fought some hard battles
And won, ere the close of the day.
Then forget to grieve for my going,
I would not have you sad for a day
But in summer just gather some flowers
And remember the place where I am,
And come in the shade of the evening
When the sun paints the sky in the west.
Stand for a moment in silence
And remember only my best.
Copied with permission
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A Better Place
A Better Place
Cry for me no more
the many tears of sadness
My time in this world was over
and it came for me to pass.
Bring the photos of old time
and see them not with tear-filled eyes
But with eyes of joy and laughter
and smile once more with me.
Know that I am in a better place
one without disease
without hatred and without death
This kingdom I now call home
I wait here for you
When your time comes to pass
to ease the transition
from the old to the new.
Cry for me no more.
Remember only the laughter.
For I am in another realm
And I wait to see you again.
© 1999 Kirsti A. Dyer, MD, MS
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God Said
"God Said"
I said, God I hurt
And God said, I know
I said, I cry alot
And God said, That's why I gave you tears
I said, Life is so hard
And God said, That's why I gave you loved ones
I said, But my loved one died!!
And God said, So did mine!!
I said, But your loved one lives!!
And God said, So does yours!!
I said, Where is he now??
And God said, My Son is by my side and
Your Son is in my arms!!
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With Love From Mom
Having a child changes every single aspect of your life
When your child is born
They become your reason and purpose
Their needs and desires become yours
You plan every moment of your life around your child
Losing a child also changes every single aspect of your life
When suddenly your child is no longer with you
Your heart falters
All you are and would have been is forever changed
You feel as though
Everything real, everything good, everything is gone
You don't know what to do with the part of you that was his
Your body and soul are somehow disjointed and incomplete
You want so desperately to have again what your child brought into your life
There are no words that can describe the pain
It doesn't have a name
I don't understand how a person can hurt this deeply and live
You live your life looking back
Looking forward is life without him, is impossible for my entire BEING to fathom
I miss you, Son
Love,
Mom
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I'm Free
Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free!
I'm following the path God laid for me.
I took His hand when I heard him call,
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone, must stay that way,
I found peace at close of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy!
A love shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah yes! These things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I've savoured much
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now, he set me free
Anonymous
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I wish
1. I wish my child hadn’t died. I wish I had him back.
2. I wish you wouldn’t be afraid to speak my child’s name. My child lived and was very important to me. I need to hear that he was important to you also.
3. If I cry and get emotional when you talk about my child I wish you knew that it isn’t because you have hurt me. My child’s death is the cause of my tears. You have talked about my child, and you have allowed me to share my grief. I thank you for both.
4. I wish you wouldn’t "kill" my child again by removing his pictures, artwork, or other remembrances from your home.
5. Being a bereaved parent is not contagious, so I wish you wouldn’t shy away from me. I need you now more than ever.
6. I need diversions, so I do want to hear about you; but, I also want you to hear about me. I might be sad and I might cry, but I wish you would let me talk about my child, my favorite topic of the day.
7. I know that you think of and pray for me often. I also know that my child’s death pains you too. I wish you would let me know those things through a phone call, a card or note, or a real big hug.
8. I wish you wouldn’t expect my grief to be over in six months. These first months are traumatic for me, but I wish you could understand that my grief will never be over. I will suffer the death of my child until the day I die.
9. I am working very hard in my recovery, but I wish you could understand that I will never fully recover. I will always miss my child, and I will always grieve that he is dead.
10. I wish you wouldn’t expect me "not to think about it" or to "be happy." Neither will happen for a very long time, so don’t frustrate yourself.
11. I don’t want to have a "pity party", but I do wish you would let me grieve. I must hurt before I can heal.
12. I wish you understood how my life has shattered. I know it is miserable for you to be around me when I’m feeling miserable. Please be as patient with me as I am with you.
13. When I say "I’m doing okay", I wish you could understand that I don’t "feel" okay and that I struggle daily.
14. I wish you knew that all of the grief reactions I’m having are very normal. Depression, anger, hopelessness and overwhelming sadness are all to be expected. So please excuse me when I’m quiet and withdrawn or irritable and cranky.
15. Your advice to "take one day at a time" is excellent advice. However, a day is too much and too fast for me right now. I wish you could understand that I’m doing good to handle an hour at a time.
16. Please excuse me if I seem rude, certainly not my intent. Sometimes the world around me goes too fast and I need to get off. When I walk away, I wish you would let me find a quiet place to spend time alone.
17. I wish you understood that grief changes people. When my child died, a big part of me died with him. I am not the same person I was before I was before my child died, and I will never be that person again.
18. I wish very much that you could understand --- understand my loss and my grief, my silence and my tears, my void and my pain. BUT - I pray daily that you will never understand.
"A Bereaved Parent" from The Compassionate Friends web page in Dec. 1997.
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Imagine
Imagine
It’s a beautiful February day, two men are laughing and playing around. The men decide to go shooting at a nearby lake and enjoy the outdoors as best friends often do. As the day goes by one of the men shoots a duck, after an attempt to retrieve the duck by one of the men which led to an unexpected swim in the ice cold water, it is agreed that they will go borrow a canoe from one of the men’s brother-in-law. After failed attempts to get the men to forget about the whole canoe idea the very reluctant relative agrees to lend out the canoe. The men pack a cooler and head off to have some man-time, leaving behind one mans wife the others girlfriend and both their baby daughters.
The silence of a spring-like afternoon is broken by horrific screams coming from the lake across the road. A woman frantically calls authorities to check out the situation unraveling across the road from her home. A two-day search by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department and Pierce County Search and Rescue brought forth a canoe, a cooler, one paddle, and one life jacket. Still missing were one life jacket, one paddle, two shotguns and two very loved men.
After only two days Pierce County felt it necessary to call off the search for the missing men. Officers gave their cards to friends and family to contact them should ever we need them. Repeated daily calls to the deputies were left unanswered and unreturned.
Everyday after Pierce Co. called off their search friends and family of the missing men spent countless hours searching for their loved ones. A life jacket and a paddle were found calls were made to Pierce Co. no response was given. Days went on, hopes grew dim, no one could help us without the desperate approval needed from Pierce Co. still no calls were returned and no outside help was received. An overwhelming feeling of helplessness fell over us as we continued our search. Finally one week and a day after the two men disappeared a volunteer search team from Longview, WA came to help us. Within hours their dogs had picked up two locations where the shells needed for closure may lie. Again in Pierce County’s hands we were given the unsettling news that they could not approve divers to investigate these areas for three more days.
The question is "why?" Why would Pierce County give up so quickly on a search for someone’s daddy, someone’s son, someone’s husband, someone’s brother and someone’s friend? Why was it left in the hands of desperate people to find their missing loved ones? Why knowing of the extreme dangers surrounding Lake Kapowsin would authorities put so many people’s lives in jeopardy? Why wouldn’t authorities cooperate with these desperate people in getting some type of organization together to help in the emotionally exhausting search for two desperately loved men? Why weren’t phone calls answered? Why was authorization for divers so hard to get? Why was the search so unimportant to authorities? Finally why does it seem as thought the Pierce Co. authorities are trying to hide something? Are they ashamed of themselves for treating people so horribly? They should be.
Close you eyes: Imagine one of these missing men is your husband, a man you’ve been faithful to and loved since you were 14 yrs. Old A man with whom you built a life and made a beautiful baby girl with.
Imagine one of these men is your boyfriend with whom you have a small beautiful baby girl with.
Imagine one of these men is your son a man that you gave life to and held as a child.
Imagine one of these men is your brother a man you’ve shared your life with.
Imagine one of these men is your friend and deep in your heart you know if you were lost these men wouldn’t stop looking for you until you were found. Tell me now how a county could be so pathetic as to not even return a phone call when someone’s life is at stake.
Author: A tired and lonely searcher
Submitted by : Howard & Diane Johnson
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Missing Uncle
MISSING UNCLE
Written By:
Bradly Johnson
Age:11
March 2005
Wee woo, Wee woo, the sound of sirens come to the lake looking for two missing canoeists, that never came home. One-night family looking for several hours, searching desperately to find Thomas Johnson and Kenny Brisby. We find no sign of them.
We called 9-1-1. There are search dogs that come to the lake, out in the water and on land around the lake, but they find nothing. Bark, Bark. They searched all night and all day but there was no person to be seen, just an over turned canoe, one life jacket, and one ore. They came back the next day and searched all day again and still found nothing. Then they said they did all they can, it is costing us too much and we cannot search any more.
Family and friends went to the lake and continued to search for Thomas and Kenny who are best friends. The first day of the family and friends search they find nothing, except a life jacket and an ore. They sadly searched all week but did not find the ones they loved.
One week later a search and rescue team from another town came to help with some search dogs. They took their search dogs in the water and they said their dogs picked up something in the water. They went and told search and rescue but they said his information was not good, they don’t like this guy so they would not come back for 6 days to check for themselves.
Family and friends continue to search for the next 6 days. We went to the news and asked for anyone to help us if they can. The calls came in to help, but they had to get the police to say yes you can help, but the police said no, they do not need the help, so you cannot help. What are we to do, we can not find the missing men. We go out in the lake everyday. Still we have found nothing. We bought an underwater camera so we can search the bottom ourselves, but still we have found nothing.
Search and Rescue came on and brought 6 dogs to the lake. We all watched them as they took their dogs by us. Their dogs picked up a scent as we all could see as they whined and cried and wanted to jump in to save the two that drowned. Search and Rescue said no there dogs did not pick up a scent and they would be back in two weeks.
My family has talked to search and rescue and the police, but they are not helping us. My family is mad because we want the two missing canoeists to be found. We have some divers and a private search and rescue team that want to come help, but the police will not let them come and help.
These two missing men each leave behind a baby daughter. It is important to find these two missing men, because you see one is my Uncle and one is my friend.
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First Christmas in Heaven
First Christmas in Heaven
I see the countless Christmas Trees around the world below,
With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars, reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular; please wipe away the tear,
For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,
But the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here.
I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring,
For it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing.
I know how much you miss me; I see the pain inside your heart,
But I am not so far away, we really aren't apart.
So be happy for me, dear ones, you know I hold you dear,
And be glad I'm spending Christmas with ! Jesus Christ this year.
I sent you each a special gift, from my Heavenly home above,
I sent you each a memory of my undying love.
After all, Love is a gift more precious than pure gold,
It was always most important in the stories Jesus told.
Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do,
For I can't count the blessings or Love He has for each of you.
So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear,
Remember, I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
~ Author Unknown ~
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Do Not Weep
Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on the ripened grain, I am the gentle Autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush
O quiet birds in flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die.
Native American Orgin
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