Disappointment and Death

I do like to post a couple of times a week, but lately that seems impossible.  Last week was crazy, unexpected, and not according to our plans.  

In February, Josh told me that he had planned a surprise getaway for us the third week of March.  We were to leave on Monday, the 15th, and come home on Wednesday, the 17th.  Because of the nature of Josh's job, we have to take mini-trips during the week since we have to take vacation time to miss a Sunday.  As you can imagine, I was so excited!  We have never taken a surprise getaway (and we have only been away one other time for a marriage conference) and I couldn't wait.  My parents were going to keep the boys for us and of course they were thrilled as well. 

Sadly, our plans were canceled on Saturday night because a lady, who was a shut-in, in our church passed away Saturday night.  She had been moved to hospice at the end of the week and Josh had been to see her multiple times in the hospital, so we knew it would be soon.  In fact, we made the decision not to go before we found out she died.  We didn't want to be on the road and have to come home - that would have been even worse. 

We did wonder why the Lord allowed this to happen at this time, but we know that he is sovereign over all things and death is never convenient.  However, the Lord revealed to us fully on Monday morning why our trip was postponed.  We received a call around 9:30am that a very faithful man in our church had a massive heart attack and had died earlier that morning.  It was such a shock to us and to our entire church.  He was such a godly man and a death that sudden is hard to understand.  My last memory of Mr. Charles is of he and his wife coming forward last Sunday morning to pray for Josh.  Mr. Charles took his wife's hand and then took Josh's hand and knelt down and prayed for him.  He will be missed in our lives and at our church. 

Instead of going to Asheville and visiting the Biltmore (Josh told me about the getaway), my parents came to visit us, Josh wrote two funeral sermons, and then preached two funerals last Wednesday.  I haven't seen him that exhausted in a very long time. 

We are thankful the Lord's timing is best and we hope to take our getaway some other time, Lord willing.  I have been reminded through this experience that our plans really are in His hands.   As James 4:15 says, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."  Please pray for Mr. Charles' widow, Mrs. Nell.  She has lost both of her children (one 5 yrs ago and the other just 6 months ago) and now her husband.  My disappointment of a trip postponed is nothing compared to her grief and sorrow.