Contrasts

Saturday was a day of extreme contrasts.  It started by heading to the local sports store to sign Eli up for tee-ball.  What a crazy thought: a child of mine playing  a sport.  I probably should find an ‘Idiots guide to tee-ball’.  While there the guy asked if we were going to sign Zay up for the four year old league.  So there standing in front of this guy who looks at kids all day was a five and two year old.  He thought my two year old was four.  Contrast #1

We rushed home to push the kids out the door so Holly and I could attend a funeral for a two year old in our church.  He died of brain cancer.  Sitting in a church looking at a casket that is sized to hold the same size age as your own child will rock your world.  Watching a video tribute where you can see your son sit next to a kid that is dead will rock your world.  Contrast #2

After the church ceremony we were waiting on the family to leave.  This family has a seven week old son.  Yes while their son was on chemo and grasping for a miracle, the had another son.  In this sad saga, the family learned of their son’s illness four months before he passed.  Their lives changes through death and birth that quick.  Contrast #3 The odd sound of an infant child crying at the funeral of a two year old is quite an amazing contrast.  Contrast #4

We left the funeral and had about an hour to our self to regain some emotional strength.  We met Holly’s immediate family and her aunt and uncle out for dinner.  In that short time we went from weeping over the loss of a child to seeing pictures of Hawaiian vacations, New York mission trips, and the great joy of listening to grandparent bragging.  Contrast #5

Life, Death, Joy…all in a day of contrasts.