Daniel, I miss your soft brown eyes. I miss our talks. Our ‘mum and son’ chats when you told me to believe in myself and I told you to continue to aim high and to follow your dreams. Because if God was in your dream then it would materialise. Since you have gone I realise more and more how much you meant to me. How much you cheered me by your visits and lifted me if I was feeling low. How you told me what you had been doing and who you had met and what you talked about. How you looked for opportunities to reach people with the gospel. And how you always wanted to know what I had been doing too. You did such crazy things and seemed to live life on the edge, but although you were so impulsive with earthly decisions you possessed spiritual wisdom. Your desire was to grow closer to God and now you truly have.
I remember your loyalty. How without fail you faithfully set up on a Thursday night for the youth work, however tired or busy you were. How you were always there on time. How we prayed beforehand in the kitchen and how I always felt safe when you were around. Even when the kids were throwing chair leg rubbers and custard creams and were high on drugs. Somehow I always knew things would be alright when you were there because they loved you. I remember the time when you were so tired that you lay down across the chairs and nearly fell asleep and how good they were that evening. How sometimes it would be just you and me and that was when I felt the safest. I remember how you didn’t want a break all year even at Christmas. And I remember how you threw a BBQ in the car park on our last evening and around 80 people came. No one else would have done anything like that and yet you did it because you believed you could and your faith was strong. I saw Brad this week and he hadn’t heard. I will keep praying for them all. Maybe you are too.
I remember your loyalty to the Tuesday night prayer and bible studies round our house. How you could always be relied upon to come. And you would always have plenty to say and it was always helpful. And how you used to pray so beautifully.
Dad and I visited your grave today. The headstone stands out well with your special verse. ‘You are very precious to God’. Amanda’s pot of pansies gives soft and cheerful colour. Dad is working on your house right now. You made such a grand job of that and he will make sure it is finished. I miss you baby and wonder what you are doing right now.
Love you for always and right through eternity. Xxx
posted by Cilla @ 7:57 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Cilla,
I, of course, never had the great privilege of meeting your precious Daniel; but in reading this, I feel like I got a glimpse of an amazing, godly, dear young man.
This reminds me of Charles Spurgeon's commentary on John 17:24. I will send it to you if I can find it.
Your sister in Christ,
Shelly Houghton
Cilla - I'll type this out for you:
O death! Why dost thou snatch away the excellent of the earth, in who is all our delight? If thou must use thine axe, use it upon the trees which yield no fruit; thou mightest be thanked then. But why wilt thou fell the goodly cedars of Lebanon? O stay thine axe, and spare the righteous. But no, it must not be; death smites the goodliest of our friends; the most generous, the most prayerful, the most holy, the most devoted must die. And why? It is through Jesus' prevailing prayer - "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am." It is that which bears them on eagle's wings to heaven. Every time a believer mounts from this earth to paradise, it is an answer to Christ's prayer. A good old divine remarks, "many times Jesus and His people pull against one another in prayer. You bend your knee in prayer and say 'Father, I will that Thy saints be with me where I am'; Christ says 'Father, I will that they also, home Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.'" Thus the disciple is at cross-purposes with his Lord. The soul cannot be in both places; the beloved one cannot be with Chrsit and with you too. Now which pleader shall win the day? If you had your choice: if the King should step from His throne, and say "Here are two supplicants praying in opposition to one another, which shall be answered?" Oh! I am sure though it were agony, you would start from your feet, and say "Jesus, not my will, but Thine be done." You would give up your prayer for your loved one's life, if you could realize the thoughts that Christ is praying in the opposite direction -- "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am." Lord, Thou shalt have them. by faith we let them go. Charles Spurgeon
Cilla I type these words because they stir my heart. But I know with all my heart, that I wouldn't find this easy to agree with in the event of the loss of a dear child. I'm hoping these words bring a measure of comfort as you picture Daniel walking and laughing with the Lord Jesus!
Dear Shelly
Thankyou so much for your messages. At Dan’s funeral we sang the lovely song “I will rise on eagles wings” with the words
'Here I am longing
For You
Hide me in Your love
Bring me to my knees
May I know Jesus
More and more'
And yes, as you say, Daniel is knowing Jesus more and more in a way that will one day be ours. I remember how you wrote me and said that although you couldn’t imagine what it is like to lose a cherished son you can imagine the Lord Jesus putting His loving arms around us and holding us close. Sweet words Shelly. Thankyou.
Looking forward to meeting you one day at Home!
The Lord is coming. He is faithful.
Hugs and love from
Cilla.
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