A Time to Be Born and a Time to Die

Originally published Tuesday, 31 January 2012.

A time to be born, and a time to die.
Ecclesiastes 3:2
 
Everyone loves new births. And everyone loves birthdays. We love celebrating life, especially of those closes to us. Ty and I are surrounded by friends with new babies. Andrew and Alicia just had a sweet baby girl in March. My auntie Missy had her sweet baby June bug. Another set of friends are preggo with their first. Baby Daisy, daughter of Emily and Travis, just celebrated one year along with her baby boyfriend Eli, son of Kristen and James. New births and celebrated births everywhere. Everyone celebrates the wonder of life. 
 
In contrast, no one likes the wonder of death because it is always so unexpected. Even when it seems expected in old age or a long cancer battle, the moment it happens and you wish you could just have one more moment. One more laugh. One more smile or hug or kiss.  
 
On a more personal level, my cousin up in Oregon experience both of these wonders at nearly the same time. On May 13, 2010 she went into labor. She had had a regular pregnancy with regular checkups, regular baby movement, regular heart beats, and regular ultrasounds. She was thrown regular baby showers, got regular baby clothes, and decorate a regular baby room. She had a regular belly with a regular baby. But on May 13th @ 11:47 in the morning {two hours after birth}, Charlotte Ava's baby heart stopped beating. 
 
She was born and then she died. There is still a empty cradle where there should be a sleeping or fussy babe. And though her mother's heart continues to break every minute of every hour of every day, I have seen the very hand of God working and pushing through her. God knows, there's a time to be born, and a time to die. We assume we know that that is the order in which it should go: Born, live, die. That's natural, right? That's the way things are supposed to happen. And when they don't, we question. That's natural too.

There's a time to be born and celebrate. 
There's a time to die, and question.

But in both, ultimately, we must and will get to the point where we rest. No matter what. 
 
- - - - - 
To connect with Julianna more, find her on her Blog, Twitter, or Facebook

SHARE