Life is Short.

It's been one of those nights for some serious contemplating. Last night I ran across the story of the loss of Jody Ferlaak's daughter in an accident. I could not stop the tears, their situation with their kids ran too close to the age of my three kids, and I felt so much for them. I can not imagine how hard that must have been, and the thought of it ever happening to me scares me to death. I could not imagine living without any of my kids. They are too much a part of me and part of my life, and I can not imagine how devastated I would be. It made me really understand how blessed I have been to have not had to experience a tragedy in my life. I truly have been blessed, and know that in some way, some day we will have to experience something as personally heart wrenching for us. It is only through things like this that you develop a relationship with God if you choose too and are made strong through your trials. But I do not want to go through it and hope I never do.

But life is short. You never know. Life can change instantly. It made me wonder if my family knows I love them. If my faith is strong enough to survive something like that. If I have an individual wonderful relationship with my kids and husband. Am I willing to accept whatever the Lord hands me.

Then tonight we received a phone call from my mom. Three men in my home ward (church congregation) that I grew up with were all killed in an avalanche tonight. They are still trying to find their bodies. This hit pretty close to home. I think about their families, my friends, my family' friends, and how I can not imagine the grief they must going through right now. It was so unexpected. They had no idea. These wives did not know they would be widows before night fall. One of them has 4 kids below the age of 7. How hard to have such a young family and now be doing it alone. I think about the men and wonder if they were ready to go, were they prepared. It's just sunk in even more so tonight.

Life is short. You never know when it will be over for you, or for a family member. You can't put of preparing yourself spiritually. Now is the time to prepare to meet God. Is my faith strong enough to handle a tragedy in my life right now? Am I ready? We can't assume it won't be us because you never know. This is all just temporary.

My heart and prayers go out for their families right now, as they really have to be hurting. Somehow through it all they will find a way to make it through much like the Ferlaak Family has. Because you have to, but mostly because the Lord can help you do it. He is there if we let him be.