Monday, September 17, 2007

A Walk Through a Cemetery





The Lord's been working with me. As usual, its humbling.


Saturday, Den and I went for a drive threw a scenic area. It overlooked our beautiful city. We were headed home to our boys. We were enjoying the sun that lay over head, and the tree lined road that stretched out in front of us. As we continued to slowly wind down this road a beautiful, plush, green cemetery trailed alongside of us. It seemed to stretch on forever, it was so big. Pretty soon, we couldn't stop staring at all the tombstones that protruded from the ground, and I mentioned stopping in there to see how old some of them were. Den quickly agreed and we veered off our course.


We quietly drove our suburban through the quiet drive that lined the graves. Again, the weather was gorgeous. It was early evening. The sun was low but bright, and there was a crisp light breeze in the air. Den parked the vehicle and we stepped out quietly as I zipped up my sweater. We began to walk solemnly across the grass reading the inscriptions and tabulating the dates in our minds. Some gravestones were engraved with "loving mother", "loving father", or "beloved son". All were chosen with great care by those who were left behind. We realized that we ran across as many young deaths, as were old. There was no guarantee or promise, in this graveyard, of a long life.


We held hands as we strolled along. We placed our feet back upon the black asphalt to investigate another part of the yard. It was one for children. Den and I saw old photographs attached to the graves, and the years engraved were so young, that our throats were tight and tears streamed down our cheeks. We quickly agreed to leave that part of the cemetery.

The trees were ancient and large, perfectly planned so many years ago. It seemed odd to see such a vast beautiful cemetery without one other person visiting it. It was full of people that had died, and had imprinted someone's life or lives, yet the cars below us were driving by as if this place didn't even exist.


We discussed what was REALLY important in our lives. That someday one of us would walk atop the others grave, and that each time we have visited a place like this we have gained in years. The only comfort we could give one another was to make the promise to do our best to gain eternal life. To be waiting for the other beyond those pearly gates. Also, to worry about colleges, material things, or any earthly concern for our children, in this life, seemed futile and frivolous. Our only serious concern for our boys was to make sure we prepared them for this inevitable journey of Heaven or Hell. That all other things the Lord would have to bless them with. It came on a day that we had buried our minds and eyes in books on college admissions, and how to go about making our sons a success in this earthly life. Our day was consumed with such talk, but never once did we talk about their spiritual well being, not until that moment of the day. Then it was like the blurriness of our vision was wiped clean, and we could see their purpose more clearly.


We softly slid back in to our car. We drove down the road again, still alongside the eternal graveyard that seemed to go forever, when we saw a beautiful little alcove that overlooked the city. We pulled in to admire the view. This time we didn't step out, but as we were ready to pull back on to the road we saw a larger than normal tombstone laying in the grass. It had been in scripted with a very large poem, or goodbye letter. Den stopped the vehicle and read the words aloud. It talked about a fifteen year old's concerns of this life. She worried about the condition of our planet. She worried about the whales and the ozone layer. She was burdened with all the things that were out of her control. She wanted something greater and she felt that the only way she could relieve herself of this great trial was to take her own life. Den and I were stunned and silent when we read the poem to the end. We shook our heads in sorrow.


How quickly our children can become confused and heavy if we aren't careful. This young girl took on the burdens of this world, and because she wasn't the master of it felt hopeless and useless. She was confused about the one thing that she was the master of; her own soul's salvation. She lost track of her own true purpose while being infiltrated with the fears of this world.


Man was not made for the earth, but the earth for man. I don't want my sons to contend with the whales or the monkeys. I think its great to have compassion, and it's a beautiful quality, but I don't want Satan to get them lost and/or consumed about the things of this world. God is mighty and is in control of all. If we all prayed more, for all things, than the answers would be clear. This girl lost her way, and in that great loss her parents lost a beautiful soul.


It was the final moment, at the end of the day, that I came home to my children with more of a determination to not let ONE day go untouched without teaching them our true purpose on this earth. To serve our Heavenly Father, and to fight the good fight of faith until the day we die.

20 comments:

Nicki said...

Oh, Trina! I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my cheeks. That was beautiful and so, so true.

Thank you so much for sharing this!

Nicki

Lori said...

A beautiful reminder of where our focus and priorities should be! Thank you ~ it came at a time when I needed the reminder!

Nadine said...

What a beautiful post. From what I've read here on your blog you and Den are doing a great job with those boys. Your new addition is coming into a great family.

BTW - come by for an award.

Mrs. Mom said...

There is nothing like a walk through the children's section of the cemetary or the funeral of a young one to bring our true purpose in life back into focus...

Mrs.Martin said...

Truly a beautiful post. The truth or reality of a cemetary, can be a wake up call, in our busy lives. We need to remember as moms what our greater purpose is. The daily concerns are essential, eternal life is so much more important. I guess my bleach spot, in my once glorious rug, is not that important.

Madeleine said...

This is a beautiful post.

Its a good reflections and well worded.

Thank you for the reminder.~Madeleine

Marisela said...

This is a beautiful post. It is so important to keep our priorities straight. It is so easy to get consumed with other things in life. Thanks for the reminder.

Cherrie said...

Wow, you are so deep at times. I so enjoyed your post. I agree with what your saying. Lets all teach are kids what important.

Jen said...

Trina
I was truely blessed by this post! It is amazing how God can use us. First he teaches us, then we are enabled to teach/impart that wisdom to others!
Thank you!

Isaida said...

Thanks for that post Trina...it was so needed at this time.

Angel said...

Amen!

Kimmie said...

Wow, what an impact day! Thanks for sharing! Life is so short and often we do getted bogged down in the things of this world, Lord help us to see that YOUR Kingdom comes on earth as it is in HEAVEn!

Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted

Tiffany said...

Thats a beautiful testimony Sis.Trina.The cares of this life can very easily consume our thoughts and worries throughout the day. Then i lay my head on my pillow and think about my day, and wonder if there was anything i should have done different. And usually on days like this i end up feeling pricked in my heart as lay in bed because i know i shouldn't be giving some much thought for tomorrow.

This gives me lots to think about being I'm going to be a mommy soon. Very sobering. Thank you for sharing this with us :)

Chantel H said...

You are so deep. I have been thinking about these sort of things the last week or so. Really puts things in perspective.

la bellina mammina said...

What a beautiful post, and so true.
I haven't been visiting your blog much, but I love your new look...

marykathryn said...

Well we have had many..too many for my liking, conversations about death lately, but that is why we are put on this earth..to die. We must work out our soul salvation and I thank the Lord that he gives us enough time to do that and I pray that Rusty and I can enstill that desire in our children as well. Too many side paths out there for our children to go down that we as parents must help them stay focused.

Anonymous said...

Well said Trina Dear~
You So have a way with words and pictures.
Find that Camera Yet?

Kate said...

I just love how God speaks to us in those gripping moments. It truly is humbling. What a beautifully written post. :) Glad I found your blog!

Anonymous said...

Ok, Ok, I'll stop being a lurker!!! I just read this block today; and it's kind of interesting because I was having these same kinds of thoughts as a lay in my bed last night. I could not sleep! I thought about what my regrets would be if I were to die. The things I would like to do better. How the most important thing is raising our kids in the faith so we can all be in Heaven together. I remembered that Stroll Over Heaven was a song in our wedding. Some people thought that was weird, but my thoughts were that I wanted to walk my life with Matt, but more importantly I want to walk in Heaven with him. Sometimes in the stresses of life I forget what my goal here on earth is: To make it to Heaven, and bring as many people with me as I can!! As I lay there thinking about what my regrets would be that was the main one; that I would regret not helping more people see how important this goal is. Like Dennis said in meeting last night. The Lord might give us time before we die to make things right, but he can't give us back the opportunities we had to help others to Heaven. People that might or might not be there because of our efforts.

Anyway, I know this is a very loooong comment!:) I've just been keeping these comments all bottled up!!:):)

Trina said...

Tisha: Yay...you left a comment!! Hallejuah! hahaha Thanks for your perspective. That was really touching, and I, 100%, agree with you!