Sometimes the only pictures you get are the ones you take in your mind. Maybe those are the best kind to have. Everyone knows that I love to take pictures. I try to carry my camera with me most of the time, ‘just in case’.

Last week, I knew that it would not be appropriate to take my camera with me. We went to a funeral. I did not even consider taking my camera with me. It is not the place or time to be snapping away at people’s lives like that. But something happened in that short span of time that made such a deep impression on me. It was one of those moments that you take it in and close your eyes and take that mental picture to bring back to mind later on. It has come back to mind many times the past couple of days.

Our close friends Fred and Pat had to say goodbye to their son. It was an unexpected goodbye, it happened suddenly without the physical chance to say goodbye, to let go. That moment was not given to them. He was only 40. He seemed so healthy. He had a 6 year old daughter. And then he was gone from them.

So there we stood last Friday afternoon, huddled together with Fred and Pat and their family, under a small tent and a few umbrellas, trying to stay dry on the outside from the pouring rain, all the while tears flooded their souls. Their daughter read a letter she wrote, full of hope and love and gratitude for the time that they were given with Freddy, a few others shared some thoughts and memories, many cried outloud, the pastor spoke, then another pastor asked us all to join in prayer and THAT is when my ‘picture moment’ came. It was then that Fred, who already had one arm wrapped around Pat, who was also holding Freddy’s daughter…it was then that he reached behind him and grasped on to his daughter’s arm. Sitting in her lap were her own two daughters, her free hand clasped onto her father’s while at the same time both of her girls hands were resting there as well. Right next to them was their other daughter with her husband standing behind her, holding tightly to her shoulders as if he were trying to take the burden of grief from them for her.

I saw this family bound together by this pain that they were feeling, I saw their faith holding them there. Those arms of Fred’s seemed extraordinarily long and I knew that they were not only FRED’S arms, they were the arms of GOD holding Fred as well. Their tears were not of unbearable, un healable pain, not tears of anger or hurt. It was obvious that their faith and hope was on the God who was holding them through all of this. No questions asked, if God allowed them to go through it, then it was what they would do.

I saw a family at their most painful moment, but also at their most closest moment. At the worst moment that we all hope never happens to us, and yet even at their worst, I saw them with the MOST. They showed me love, a family’s love, their love, GOD’s love. Thank you Fred and Pat for allowing me inside your most intimate moment with your family. It is a treasured photo. God bless you!