Winded But Wiser

February 16th, 2010 |

“For everything there is a season a purpose under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die,”
These very poetic and poignant words written by an aging Solomon are found in Ecclesiastes 3. They are typically shared at graduation ceremonies with the hopes of challenging students or at memorial services to remind people that a season of death is really a part of the sequence of life.  Recently is seems like that reality has been a constant reminder among the DeSoto Hills family.  In one week’s time, the news of loss seemed to be never ending.  Milissa Butcher lost her grandmother who had been such a stabilizing force in her life.  Barb Smith’s mom, Fran, passed away after a short stay in the nursing home.  I got a call from Shad Sims that his step dad had died in Tupelo.  Don had served on staff at West Jackson Street Baptist Church and had been battling cancer for years.  He was a great guy.  When I got to church Sunday morning I found out that Elizabeth Cothern’s father has passed away while she and Burt were visiting family in Wichita.    But there was one death in our church family that was different from all the rest due to the fact that the span between “a time to be born and a time to die” was so brief.  Caroline Elizabeth Simmons was born on February 11 at 7:57 AM.  She weighed 3lbs.10oz.  Her parents, Amanda and Rhett, had received the news back in October that there were insurmountable problems with the pregnancy.  Caroline lived about an hour.   When I walked out of their hospital room that morning, I did something I have not done in 32 years of ministry.  I sat down in the lobby for a few minutes to catch my breath.  Oh, I was not winded physically, but I was out of breath spiritually.  My soul had been stretched thin by the experience.  It’s not that I had expended much energy ministering to the Simmons.  Their steadfastness and strength in the midst of this continues to be an encouragement to us all.  However, as I watched Amanda cradle that precious little girl, I was reminded that this was one of those situations that requires all involved to truly trust in a God whose ways are beyond our finding out.  As the song says
                        “…When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart…”
Although Caroline’s life was brief, it did matter.  My life is richer for coming in contact with her.
 
Winded but wiser,
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