Sweet Abandon: Hold them a little tighter

Today my heart is still heavy when I think of the tragedies that have plagued our nation. Innocent lives lost to reckless, unfathomable sin. My heart stops for a moment when I put myself in the shoes of those parents waiting....waiting to see if they will see their child's face again, if they get to squeeze and hold them in their arms one more time.....

I cannot imagine.

I don't want to imagine.

And yet, I have too.

Sadly, I don't think this will be the last senseless act of violence our nation will have to recover from. I am perplexed and burdened by this truth. I have no other words to say other than, yes, I have tried to put myself in the shoes of those that have lost their baby, whether young or old. And just thinking about it makes me want to fall to my knees and never get up. It's a very solemn reality.

For all those mama's and daddy's that can't kiss their baby good night to night, or watch their child's delight Christmas morning, and find themselves on the ground unable to move, unable to breathe.....my heart goes out to you. Though I am not in your shoes and do not know your pain...

I cry with you.

For I do not know what tomorrow holds, I do not know how many more years, days, minutes I have left with my own two boys. The future is unknown. What I do know is that I have this moment, the now. I have this moment to kiss and hold those I love. To stay up all night because my baby is fighting sleep and crying...at least he is there, steps away from my bed, for me to scoop up. I can smile at my oldest boy across the room as he sits on his froggy potty, fully clothed and using baby brother's socks as puppets, and then tries to do a somersault off his throne.

I have the now.

I will savor the now, and linger in it's sweetness.

I thank God for the now.

For this.....