Written: May 30, 2016
We experience the touch of God many times through the compassionate acts of others. During the recent loss of my father, the Lord showed me the depths of His love through two of my great nephews, Thomas Jackson and Kyle Lamons.
In Thomas, I saw the depth of a child’s love for his great grandfather, as he wanted to sit as close to Tom Tom as he could — which meant he had to sit next to me, since I wanted to do the same. So, here we sat (with his grandmother, my sister Debbie Brown Crocker safely on his other side), quietly looking at my father before they closed the coffin for the funeral. Thomas was sad, and I could sense the common grief we shared, and I was so touched by the love he was displaying for this very elderly relative. I thought to myself how amazing it was to see an eight-year-old grieve so profoundly.
Then as the service began, I had a hard time keeping my tears from flowing. Thomas, whom some may say lives in his own world, was my amazing comforter that day, for each time I crumbled another tissue and crammed it in my purse, he had pulled another fresh one from the box and just gently kept it ready for me to take. We went through the entire service like this, me crying, Thomas providing. That is what God does. He helped me through.
Then we moved to the cemetery. Here, as we said our final goodbyes to my father, I wasn’t much good, for the resting place of my husband was just next to Dad’s. Not wanting to linger, I got up to move with the boys back to the car. That is when God intervened again to remind me that He was still watching over me and would not let me fall. Kyle Lamons came up to me, gave me a hug and gave me his own beautiful cloth handkerchief.
The Lord has been so gracious to give me comfort through many loving adult friends and family, but as I reflect on the selfless acts of these two great nephews, I can only say, “Thank you, Lord, for the children.”
Grace and Peace