The anguished words of a grieving mother, “I would have done things differently had I known that I would only have him for 15 years.” I heard her mournful cries and it tore at my heartstrings and caused my own tears to burst forth. She and I have been friends for nearly five years. She is a good mother who always knows where her children are and what they are doing. She keeps them involved in sports and other extracurricular activities to keep them out of trouble. She speaks to them honestly about life because as a teen she stole to feed her younger siblings. They were her responsibility and it was her only means of feeding them.

She has parented her 10 year old niece on and off for the last ten years. Three years ago, she and her husband accepted permanent guardianship of her. Our family helped to parent the little girl from the time she was five until she was eight. The 10-year-old child is the reason she and I became acquainted.

Now she stands at the foot of the casket where the body of her 15-year-old son lay. She is broken and she has no hope. No thoughts of an afterlife reunion enter her thoughts because she doesn’t believe in any of that.

For three years, we picked the little girl up and took her to church every Monday night and occasionally on Sunday. A few times one of her cousins came along. I know she has accepted Jesus Christ as her savior, possibly the brother who came to church with us has too. Not the brother who now lay in the casket though, he wasn’t interested in church. Now it is too late for him.

Holiday break from school had just begun. The children were excited about having two weeks off from school and anticipating Christmas morning. He was walking down the street at 5pm with his 12-year-old brother and a 20-year-old friend of the family. Then a truck came, he pushed his younger brother out of the way and took the hit. His little brother is fine, just a few scratches.

Revelation 3:20 NASV Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

It isn’t fair. A parent should never have to bury a child. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees in life and life isn’t fair. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow. That is why the Lord urges us to seek Him now. What words of comfort can we offer this grieving mother?

What about the little girl who has already lost her mother and father? Now she has lost her cousin who has been her older protective brother for the past three years. She has lost everything numerous times before. Each time her mother was evicted or broke off a relationship they left everything behind. Just how much is a 10-year-old child supposed to bear?

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Uploaded on March 25, 2007 by iessi
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