A Crazy Amount of Pictures from the Antique Rose Emporium and Royers Cafe

A Letter of Peace and Comfort

   Not long ago, a friend asked me a question regarding the loss of a child and heaven.  I don't remember the specific question, and I didn't have an answer for her, but I shared the following letter with her. It was written by J. Knox Chamblin, a former professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, after the death of our son Matthew Knox.  Our Knox was named for Knox Chamblin and the theologian John Knox so that alone made the letter precious to us. Knox Chamblin has since joined Matthew Knox in heaven.  I was asked to share this on my blog and so I am!

Dear Jon and Rachel:

Ginger and I want you to know of or love for you, and of our prayers on your behalf since we learned of the death of your son Knox. I know we cannot enter fully into your present experience, for it is one we have not shared. But we are parents and granparents; and when I try to think how I would feel if one were suddenly to be taken from me, I can identify to some degree with your present grief and loss.

I know that the ways of God are often impenetrable to our finite minds, and that many of our experiences in this life are very hard, or impossible, to understand.  But I also know that the suffereings and sorrows of this life help to prepare us for the life to come, and that when Jesus returns he will grant to his people gorious resurrection bodies - bodies fit for life in the heavenly kingdom. Paul 'rejoiced in the hope of the glory of God,' even as he experienced affliction and sorrow. In fact, if I read Romans 5: 2-5 aright, it was especially his sufferings that caused his hope to grow.

In heaven we shall participate in 'the communion of saints' to a degree that we can now neither experience nor scarcely imagine. I believe that an integral part of that experience will be to help one another to grow in the knowlege of the Holy Trinity, and of ourselves. I believe also that you will meet your infant son in heaven, and that you will then come to know one another as you unable to do in this life.  (Job would meet no less than 20 children in heaven - the ten he lost, and the ten that God gave him in their place.) I think it is also possible that in the heavenly glory you will both be granted by God the privilege of assisting him in the spiritual nurture of your son - just as you son will then be a channel of God's love to you.

May God grant to you his very own consolation. May he overwhelm you by his holy and merciful and gentle and mighty presence. may he pitch his tent beside you and hold you in his fatherly embrace.  May he quieten you with his love, and rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).  And may the Holy Spirit cause his fruit to ripen in your lives - especially peace and joy (Galatians 5:22).  I thank God for your family, our times together at RTS, and your present place of service.

Your brother in Christ,

Knox Chamblin.

Janey Kate in the Poppies

  Janey Kate's second annual photo shoot in Miss Peggy's Poppies.  I took tons of pictures and most of them are so Janey Kate. She was so busy checking everything out and talking to herself. Here are a few favorites.

 This one cracked me up!

And can you believe that Peggy wanted to give her a chocolate chip cookie afterwards...in that dress!!!

Because of Today....Resurrection Day

  This is has always been one of those pictures that kind of haunted me so I am pretty sure I have never posted it. It was taken Easter Sunday 2007 just 5 days before Knox's accident. He looks kind of sad and with longing eyes in this picture.

  But I was thinking about this picture in church today. How he was on the outside looking in like he was one place but wanted to be another but couldn't quite get there.  I've always thought of this picture as him being separated from us knowing that he wouldn't be longing to get to us so the picture seemed messed up. It seemed that the picture should be me out there looking longingly to where he was.
   As I listened to the sermon and was reminded once again(can we ever be reminded enough) of all that has been done for us through Jesus's death and resurrection, I was thinking about how Knox is no longer on the outside looking in. He has arrived. He is there. We got a taste of heaven today as we do each week in worship, but Knox has more than a taste. He isn't looking through a fingerprint stained window trying to see what is to come; he can see clearly and it is good!
   Like every week, I was humbled and blessed to worship with my family, to feast together, and join the saints that have gone before us to praise the Risen Savior. 

 We took our first trip of the season to the Antique Rose Emporium and Baylor Fields.  Elizabeth suggested that we try to get some fun pictures of Janey Kate while we were at it. 

 I love sweet profile pictures.

 She had such a fun day exploring and seeing all the neat things everywhere.

 Can you tell just how crazy windy it was?

 My purple lover in front of the purple fence.

 Swinging in the picnic area.

 She pulled this wagon around all afternoon.  I think I heard, "I do it!" a bazillion times!!

 Elizabeth loves taking pictures of flowers and managed to capture a bee in this one.

 Picnicking right on top of the table. There is no better spot!

 She loved this little cat.

 She kept pretending all the rose tags were phones and would go up and put her face to them and say, "Hello!" 

 Checking the mail. I thought we were in TX???

 The first of the bluebonnets.

 This girl loves to swing!

Until next time!

Peas and Duck Dynasty

Creed and Peas: The Saga told in a series of one liners...

 

Creed told me the other day that he loved peas...  just loved them.

(uh huh yeah...)

 

So the other night as I was making dinner I decided to make peas; I told my dad...we will see just how much he likes them.

We sit at the table and Creed says,"Mom, will you please put some peas on my plate. I love them.

(ooookay..

 

"Oh good!!! I made them just for you since you love them so much!!!! "

 

He said  and a piece of ham was all he wanted.

(my dad had taken him to DQ earlier)
 

He eats a couple.

"These peas are so good. I like them a lot."

"But...I don't want to eat the smashed ones."

 I show him how to use his spoon instead.  I scoop up a bunch and put them in his mouth.

(* important to know that if he doesn't like something he truly gags and chokes and has a terrible time swallowing it*)
 

He gagged, and choked, and gagged and heaved.
 

He was sitting by Liz.
She started freaking out because she was sure he was going to throw up.

Itell her to go get him a paper towel so he can spit them out.
 

He is green and gagging...

She gets a regular handtowel and lays it on the bench.

He leans over and lets it all fall out.   

Liz...."ewwww...that is just gross. like I am going to want to sit there now."

A bit later..:.I love peas."
Then he comes and sits on my lap.  After a few minutes, he puts his arms up around my neck..".Mama, I love you soooo much. You make the best peas ever. "

   The next night as he is getting ready for bed, he gives me a hug and says, "Do you know why I like peas so much?"  No Creed I can't imagine.  "Because they taste good."  Then after I prayed for him, he says, "For a while I liked lettuce, but now I don't."

 

Duck Dynasty

 

   Saturday, Emma had a soccer game and it was freezing. It might quite possibly have been the coldest soccer game I have ever been to.  I almost flaked out and went to the van.  After she played, she invited one of her teammates to come home with her and escape the cold rather than staying and watching her brother and sister play. They were so very cold.  We came home and I made them hot cocoa on the stove and grilled cheese sandwiches. They played a while and came back for something to drink.  Emma got them mason jars down to drink out of. Her friend exclaims, "Hey!  Cool!!! This is just like Duck Dynasty!"  Elizabeth said, "Do you want me to make sweet tea? Then we can be just like Sye!" They happily drank their tea in their mason jars and declared themselves true rednecks! ;-)