Joy and Sorrow

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me...

to comfort all who mourn...

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair."

Isaiah 61:1-3

Thank you all for the cards, e-mails, phone calls, kind words, and prayers! We most definitely felt your prayers for us on Sunday. Tough day, yet peaceful; full of tears, yet we laughed. Sunday afternoon we went to the cemetary. We know that Kyler's soul is not there and that he is in heaven, but for now that is where his body is and his place on earth. Karsten sat in front of Kyler's headstone for the longest, in very deep thought and touching it. He really misses his little brother. That night we ate cupcakes that Karsten wanted to make for Kyler's birthday and then we sang Happy Birthday. That was the first time we had ever done that, and it was very hard! Brad and I knew how important it was for Karsten. It was actually good for us as a family. We cried, talked, and spoke about Jesus' return and how the dead in Christ will rise first and then we who are still alive will meet the Lord in the air. The time we shared was part of the healing process and we needed that. God continues to use our scars and our brokenness to bring Him praise, honor, and glory. Thanks again for showing us love and for lifting us up in prayer!


A song titled, "The Blessing in the Thorn" has amazing lyrics and stirs my heart. May we all find the blessing in "the thorn in my flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

I read about a man of God

Who gloried in his weakness

And I wish that I could be

More like Him and less like me

Am I to blame for what I'm not

Or is pain the way God teaches me to grow

I need to know

When does the thorn become a blessing

When does the pain become a friend

When does the weakness make me stronger

When does my faith make me whole again

I want to feel His arms around me

In the middle of my raging storm

So that I can see the blessing in the thorn

I've heard it said the strength of Christ

Is perfect in my weakness

And the more that I go through

The more I prove the promise true

His love will go to any length

And reaches even now to where I am

But tell me once again

Lord, I have to ask You

On the cross You suffered through

Was there a time You ever doubted

What You already knew