A Family Visit

I had a family visit this morning. It was very unique because I visted people I've never met and they didn't even know I was there...

Now that I have your attention, I'll tell you what happened. Last week we were at the church camp where Barb spent a lot of time when she was growing up. While we were there, I met a second cousin that I hadn't seen in a long time. We spent some time catching up over lunch and the conversation turned to the death of my younger brother. He was killed in a car accident when the car was hit by a drunk driver. It happened 25 years ago this spring. He was 6 months old, I was 18 and just completing my first year of Bible College. Needless to say it rocked our world in a number of ways. I haven't thought about James for a long time, but the conversation stirred a number of memories and emotions so I decided that while I was in the area (Melville, SK), I would visit his grave. I've only been there twice. Once on the day he was buried and one other time, so I was due for a visit...

I spent last night at my aunt and uncle's and told them what I wanted to do so before 8 this morning, my uncle and I were hiking around the cemetery. He knew where it was so it wasn't long until we were standing at his grave. At that moment, it felt like it was yesterday. The emotions flooded back, I shed some tears and my uncle and I just kind of stood there. It was awkward, painful and good all at the same time.

I spent a lot of time today thinking about how someone who lived for such a short time so long ago, could continue to have such an effect on my life? It brings "The Purpose Driven Life" to a whole new level of meaning. Sometimes our greatest purposes are fulfilled after we are gone and God continues to use memories to move us towards what He wants to work out in us and through us.

That wasn't my only visit. Because we were there, we went to visit my aunt's grave (his sister) and he showed me where he and my aunt will be buried. That was kind of strange, but there's a lot to be said for planning ahead. As we walked, I began to notice names of other people that I had met or knew because of my summers on the farm near there. Some were relatives, some were neighbours, some were family friends. We stopped and stood at graves of people he knew and that I had met. We went to my grandparents grave as well. It was a very rich experience.

Before we left he took me to the vetran's section. I have a great uncle who was killed in action in France in August of 1944. He is buried there, but there is a headstone to mark his life here too. Initially, the headstone was at a cemetry in the country. When the cemetery was eventually abandonded, the headstone was brought into the city cemetery. For whatever reason, it was just placed in the row of headstones and stayed there until someone needed the spot where it was. After that there were no other places left in the vetran's section. There is an archway that you walk through to access the vetran's section and my uncle's tombstone is placed on one side of the arch facing another in the opposite position. They look like sentries guarding the way in to the area. In the light of what's happening in Afghanastan and Lebanon, the whole thing was very poignant.

Most of the people that I visited live even though their bodies died years ago. I am confident that while I live out my life here, they are cheering me on along with many of my other heroes. One day, I will see them again (and meet some of them for the first time!) It will be amazing and overwhelming all at the same time.

I can only imagine...