Thank you to all of you who have been praying for our family in these days of the “valley of the shadow of death.”

Some updates:

• Tonight (Thursday) is the viewing.
• Tomorrow is the funeral and the last “goodbye” to little Ethan.

Some reflections:

• Perhaps the most commonly asked question I get, as a pastor, at funerals is, “Can he/she see me?” My answer is, “Nowhere in Scripture are we told that the dead cannot see us here on earth so why not go ahead and believe that your loved one can see you for your comfort.”
• Death at this young age reminds me that life is so fragile and precious. It can be granted for decades and/or snatched in days. Neither life nor death should be taken for granted.
• Death without faith in God is a black hole that sucks every ounce of energy and optimism out of life.
• Death, especially in instances like this, will drive us either to faith or despair. I keep thinking that in situations like this the only question that matters is, “Will I trust God when I don’t understand Him?”
• What do you say in times like these? Words like, “I’m so sorry”, while true, are just not helpful. Sherri’s sister got it right when she said, in response to these words, “Everybody keeps saying that, but it doesn’t bring him back.” Quite frankly in times like this the most helpful activity is not words but deeds. Simply helping is the best way to communicate care and support in the valley of the shadow of death.