This has been a year for reunions. Not just family reunions but class reunions and military reunions too. Frank has his 20th anniversary Desert Storm reunion next weekend at Langley Air Force Base. Wow! Has it been twenty years already? It seems like yesterday that I was that young, scared Air Force wife who didn't have a clue where Saudi Arabia was when her hubby got shipped out. Those seven months were the most difficult months I've had to endure. Frank, on the other hand, was in a 4-star hotel (most of that time) with room service while I was holding down the fort and watching Wolf Blitzer on CNN 24 hours a day for any bit of news about the middle east. Frank's looking forward to seeing his old buddies and catching up on life events.
My 25th high school reunion was this summer. I didn't attend. I married my best friend from high school and didn't see a need in going.
We had two family reunions this year on two separate weekends. The first was my mom's family reunion...the Murphy Reunion. This is actually my great-grandparents reunion. So, great-aunts, uncles, third-cousins come from all over to reunite for a day or two. Everyone is happy to see each other, we eat a lot of good food, Uncle Jim calls out the door prize numbers and then everyone goes home. It's a good time.
The second reunion is smaller. It's Frank's mom's reunion. Mostly, it's Frank and his four sisters, their families and any close friends that want to stop by. Usually someone has pitched a tent or two in the yard. We did that a couple of times. One year there were four or five tents in the yard. The siblings catch up with each other and the cousins, who are young adults now, go to the mall and then to the river. Everyone looks forward to Uncle Frankie's bonfire Saturday night and the accompanying s'mores.
A friend recently posted on her face book page what a wonderful weekend she had with her friends. She said she imagined that's what heaven would be like...all of her friends gathered together in one place with one Savior. I think she's right. I think about my friends...my military family, who is scattered all over the world and know that one day we will all be together again.
That's a comforting thought when you think of your loved ones that have passed away. I've attended several funerals over the past few years. There's quite a difference between the funeral of a person who loved the Lord and served Him. And the funeral of someone that didn't even attend church. I think the saddest funeral is when the Pastor or the funeral director didn't even know the deceased. They just make stuff up based on what family members have told him. The service is kind of flat and perfunctory, at best. But at least they have a service.
I've been thinking about the babies that are lost due to miscarriage. They don't get a service. There's no ceremony, no public grieving of the lost life. And it was a life. No matter how short...a month or two, a few weeks...from the moment of conception it was a baby. Yes, I'm a pro-lifer! For a time, there were hopes and dreams, plans and a future. And then one day, there wasn't. And there's no acknowledgment of the loss. Just some medical jargon and well-meaning platitudes.
To those who've endured such a loss. I'm so sorry. For all of those who've told you it wasn't really a baby, it was just tissue...I'm so sorry. For those who told you it was natures way of getting rid of imperfect babies, I'm so sorry. For all of those who said nothing in fear of saying the wrong thing, I'm so sorry. And let me also say, one day you will have a reunion too. I don't know how it works but I believe you will recognize your baby in heaven and will be reunited. I think the same is true for aborted babies. God offers forgiveness to those who seek it. So many times women are ill-advised and even encouraged to have an abortion. No one explains the life-altering consequences of ending their baby's life. The woman doesn't forget. She remembers what would have been his birthday and marks the milestones in her mind. She will forever have mother thoughts and feelings for her aborted baby.
Fortunately, there is a God who forgives. A God who cares. A God who knows about grief. A God who loves us. A God who can comfort and offer peace in our hearts. A God who is waiting for the ultimate family reunion when his Son will come back and gather His people to Himself. Are you one of His people??? You can be. Hope to see you there!