Friday, November 16, 2012

Five Minute Friday: Stay

Five Minute Friday

Every Friday hundreds of writers join in this five minute writing exercise at Lisa-Jo Baker's blog, Tales from a Gypsy Mama.

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that Lisa-Jo posts on her blog at 1 minute past midnight EST every Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag #FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

So here's my attempt at this week's Five Minute Friday. This week's word is...

Stay.

I was working late in the newsroom when the real news came. Staring at the words on the screen, trying to make sense of the words blistering my heart on the other end of the line.

My husband’s voice sounded strangely quiet, “It’s Erin… she was in a car accident… she’s…”

His voice trailed off, but I already knew the last word that hung ugly and unsaid.

So hard to imagine how your whole world can change forever in just one millisecond of a moment.

Several states away and a few days later at the funeral home, I looked into the face of my best friend.

Please don’t leave. Twenty-four years isn’t enough time. You need to stay; your life is just beginning.  A few days ago you celebrated your one-year wedding anniversary; your high school students adore you as a teacher. If anyone needs to stay—deserves to stay—it’s you.

But staying wasn’t an option.

The reality was impossible to understand… all these years later, it still is.

The scripture inscribed later on her tombstone expressed what we all wanted so desperately to comprehend: “As for God, His way is perfect.” (Psalm 18:30)

Some people aren’t made to stay. God has His reasons. Our job is not to understand but simply to trust.

His plan is good.

His way is perfect.

Even when staying isn’t an option.

8 comments:

  1. It's hard to understand why God allows things to happen. I know the pain you feel because my older sister died when she was 11 and I was 6. It's never easy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautifully put! What my husband tries to communicate and trust in every time a patient of his loses their battle with cancer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sending hugs to you, Irene! I'm so thankful we can rest in God's sovereignty and know that His plan is always good. I love the photo of you and your siblings you put on Facebook the other day!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks, Joy. I can't imagine dealing with death on a daily basis. Glad your husband has a firm faith to support him as he works with his patients. God bless you both!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh goodness... this brings back so many memories. I lost my best friend in an accident as well. She didn't actually pass away, but the amount of brain injury that she suffered from completely made her a different person. (She now has the mentality of a 9-12 year old) I actually write about her a lot in my blog. I find myself questioning why she wasn't able to stay every single day... Sometimes the pain is overwhelming. I guess, we just won't know why God allows such things to happen until we get to heaven. I'm so sorry for your loss.

    I'd love to have you stop by my blog sometime! http://kaelynnjudd.com/index.php/2012/11/five-minute-friday-stay/

    ReplyDelete
  6. Julie ~
    What a heartbreaking experience. The prompt STAY is bringing me to tears with every post I read.
    I'm thankful that your faith in Christ is such that you understand His ways are higher than our ways. We may never know why some people die when they do. I've often thought that I can't wait to ask God why my brother had to die (also at 24) but then I remember that once in heaven, I will see him again and be enveloped in love everlasting.
    That should take care of any lingering questions! :-)
    Loved your post today.
    Blessings,
    Felecia

    ReplyDelete
  7. You make the tears well up, but there is such peace mixed with your words. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you all for your kind comments. It's comforting to know that so many of us share in each other's sorrows. Looking forward to meeting you all someday, if not in this world, then in heaven, where all our questions will be answered and all our tears will be wiped away!

    ReplyDelete