Tough week, but the Lord is good.

Last week was kind of a tough week. We got back from my grandfather's funeral in South Carolina to find out that the baby of Greg's good friend had died from SIDS. It was very sad for us -- Benson was born Feb. 13, just 5 days before Ben was actually due. The parents, Eddie and Sarah were so amazing in their response. At the funeral, they both spoke, which in itself was amazing. But, even more than that, Sarah talked about how God had given her a peace that she wasn't missing out on anything in Benson's life, but that God had given him exactly the number of days he was supposed to have. Eddie talked about how he would give up anything to have his son back, highlighting God's amazing love for us, to CHOOSE to give up his son, for US! When I went to greet Sarah after the service, I could not help but cry, and it was like she was comforting me, telling me how we needed to get together and they had been thinking about us. I pray that the Lord would continue to uphold them, and use us to do that if he should see fit.

The contrast between Benson's and Kuka's funerals was interesting as well. Both were the funerals of believers and believers' families, so the Lord was honored throughout, but the mood was so different. Kuka's funeral was bittersweet, sadness in missing him, but joy that he went home to be with Jesus and lived such a long and full life -- he was going to be 90 this December! Benson's funeral had a certain sweetness, but sorrow was also evident throughout -- an appropriate response, of course. The sweetness was in knowing God's love and comfort, and the sorrow . . . well, that's obvious.