It has arrived. The anniversary of the week that
Christina left us here and transferred to the presence of Jesus. It was one year ago that we were living
out the final week of her life on earth.
I have spent a considerable amount of time this past week reliving,
pondering, wondering, and talking about her.
It seems impossible that a year
has passed. The memory of her last
week with us is vivid and seems like it all just happened. Every blooming and fading plant reminds
me of the time of year she departed.
The weather, the early sunrises and late sunsets pull the memories to
the forefront of my mind.
One of the gifts of the passage
of time is that difficult questions get answered. Here are a few of the big questions that are being answered
as we walk through time.
How will Doug Nevill
survive? Really, a 27 year old
widower with a 7 month old son—how will he do it?
Beautifully!
Doug is a great example of how to
mourn deeply, live in the moment (you have to be present when you have a baby
to care for), and look ahead with hope.
He can cry and smile at the same time. He has chosen to serve and to love and to hope and to follow
Jesus—despite the pain of losing Christina.
Will Isaiah be OK?
Better than OK. He is
thriving.
Isaiah is a picture of joy. He is inquisitive, expressive,
affectionate, and just plain adorable.
He loves pictures of his mom and his new favorite book is a bound copy
of Christina’s Facebook entries.
He calls it “Mommy’s Book.”
Someday soon he will be able to understand why she is only in pictures
and not in the room with us. It
sounds sad but it doesn’t feel sad.
I am looking forward to explaining the miracle of his existence. That his mommy and daddy were very
brave and decided to marry and have a child even though they did not know the
future. And I will tell him that
God made him at just the right time.
Not a moment too late. He
was born in that miraculous window of opportunity that God provided.
And will my Doug and I be OK?
We are. Probably because
of Christina’s continual prayer for us.
So many of Christina’s journal
entries have to do with her requests to Jesus to take care of us. She worried about us being overcome
with sorrow. I believe those prayers
are still bouncing around heaven and being answered.
I see God’s hand every day. He gives beauty for ashes, the oil of
joy for mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. He has more days for us to live. He has given some wild adventures that
are far beyond what I could ask or imagine. And I do not think He is through surprising us. So there are tears but not of
hopelessness.
 |
| Gabi and Christina |
I spent much of last week putting
together a little slide show of Christina’s life. It was therapeutic I think. Just a few pictures capturing the adventure and depth of her
life. The music I used was
composed and performed by Christina’s cousin, Gabi Van Dyke. The first piece was used as part of the
processional at Doug and Christina’s wedding. The second piece was a song Gabi wrote in the last 2 months
of Christina’s life. It became the
song that brought great comfort to Christina. She told Gabi that it captured exactly how she felt.
I am so thankful to have so many
wonderful pictures of Christina.
Many thanks to photographers Loralee Newbury, Jade Van Dyke, Michele
Hayman, Ruth Harrison, and Marla Cyree.
Here is a link to the video. I hope you enjoy it:)
