Jewells of Thought

This past week had been a good week. Monday and Tuesday we said our earthly goodbye to my Great-Great Uncle Dick who had already been reunited with loved ones and who finally got to meet Christ. It was sad only because we are left behind, he no longer deals with pain or tears. We even celebrated the 4th of July another year closer to a big milestone for this country that was simply an experiment…

Then yesterday Dad got a phone call. Shocking and literally a moment that took our breath and our words away. Saying the actual words is still so hard for me. My emotions clog my throat and tears just envelope my whole face each time I have had to try to explain… yesterday. Typing is actually much easier right now than using my voice. Singing this morning was absolutely the hardest thing to do, but still I sang in the choir even with the red eyes and nose that keeps running. I needed church so badly this morning after this news it was the balm to my soul that I did indeed need plus sitting next to Grandma was the comfort I needed.

Last night on the late news report both on WTWO and WTHI I saw what my cousin posted from both of the stations websites, although I missed them when they broadcasted the report live. My Mom’s first cousin and his wife were with their motorcycle buddies traveling around in Illinois. I remember he had to be at the visitation for Uncle Dick Monday night because he would be working the next day. He was an EMT and was quite a character with the proof in the pudding cause everybody had something good to say about him. He was an excellent EMT and his reputation preceded him everyone knew him or of him. Maybe that’s the Swan heritage coming out of him a bit Dick, and Grandma were similar that way.

Yesterday one of his youngest daughters, one of the twins posted a message at about 4 pm. I missed it. When Dad got that phone call it was my Uncle Denny calling us and his daughter, my cousin Ashton had found the message and immediately called him I guess. We got that phone call no later than 6:30. We were dumbfounded Kenny and Devona Ming were both killed in an accident. That took quite a few seconds to comprehend. Mom was almost instantly like, we needed to go right now. We need to see how Aunt Helen is now. She had already lost Uncle Tom, her daughter at separate times. Now she lost Kenny and Devona at the same time that’s crushing for anyone. So we took a couple of minutes and got prepared to head north.

The last time we were up at their house I was having sewing machine troubles. Aunt Helen let me use her machine and we just happened to have Selena with us and that was goodness a month ago already. She gave me some tips that really helped answer some of my questions and I got to finish my first pillow that was a gift for someone at church. That was the last time we set foot in their house.

I remember as soon as I was finished Devona and some of the kids were heading off to watch Piper play a game. Aunt Helen didn’t go, but then Selena and Mom convinced her to eat with us at Backstreet so they went with her in her van. That night is still so vivid in my mind. Devona and Kenny were so vibrant yet when we got there yesterday, the living room had no extra lighting on only the light from the windows in the front window and back window; it felt lifeless. Even their dog could feel something was different.

Today my head still feels like it’s spinning, deaths usually happen in threes. Uncle Dick was first then there was a day we thought something had happened to Aunt Helen which didn’t happen. Then that evening another friend Tracy Hunt died who is a friend and part of the family. Now this makes 4. Life is not promised to be fair or easy though.

Tonight I again had trouble talking at church about this and singing once again. It was deja vu, but God did step in and give me the strength to do so. We have found out that the driver that hit them was texting while driving. She survived the accident she created but nothing else has been said about any injuries if any. Again, life is not always easy but how is it she survived? What is God’s purpose in this life-altering event? We still have some questions besides texting? Was she drinking or on drugs?

Life is fragile are you ready for what comes next?