In An Instant

I stopped at maverick today to get my usual caffeine fix and I had no idea how it would effect the rest of my day. As I approached the counter to pay I noticed a jar with a beautiful ribbon on it and a picture of a man and woman. Not having the time to read the entire paragraph on the jar I asked the cashier what she knew about it. A young couple with three little girls were in an accident on highway 201 and they were killed. The three little girls were left with no mother or father. She explained that the younger aunt had taken the three girls in addition to the 4 boys she already has. The jars were a collection to help this young family care for the three girls. I didn't have much to give, just 35 cents but my heart went out to this family. The cashier turned to me and said "it's weird how people's lives can change in an instant." I know that feeling. Our lives were changed forever in an instant on March 2, 2012. We did not experience a loss this profound but it hurt so much and is taking so long to rebuild. As hard as our experience was and is I imagine it's nothing compared to what this family is and will continue to go through. My heart hurts for this family. I wish that we had more to give but all I can offer is empathy and prayer. It is so true that anyone's life can change in an instant. The Lord has plans for us that we can't even imagine and sometimes those plans come with great sorrow. This sorrow is heartbreaking but necessary for us to experience. Through pain you can learn many things. You can learn to love deeper, appreciate more and never take for granted the things you have. In an instant the Lord can change your life forever and after we experience the pain and move forward we can experience the fullness of the blessings that the Lord in his mercy gives to us freely. This family has been in my thoughts all day and I have felt much sorrow for them but I have also felt comfort in the knowledge I have of eternal families. I pray that this family will be alright an that they may someday all be reunited.