Joe and Karen are grieving the loss of their precious son. The intense loneliness comes from the fact that they will not be able to spend time with Joey here on earth again ... and so they have to live one day at a time ... and look forward to that day they will see each other in heaven and spend life in eternity.
The good news (aside from seeing Joey again in heaven) is that Joe and Karen spent a lot of quality times with Joey here on earth. There are no regrets there. Everyone of us who knows the Johnson's knows that they have tons and tons of wonderful family memories (a lot of us can only wish we have or can do). Joey by himself accomplished a lot as well.
Joey's life seems short, but in reality it's he lived it more than "a person who lived to be 100 but never did experience much life". Joey inspires us ... to live our lives to the fullest ... because it's true - "life is not measured by the breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away"...
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Life ...
Posted by Liza on Maui at 8:31 AM
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Romans 12:3
"As God's messenger,I give each of you God's warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you."
I would like to share a point of view God presented to me that has helped me settle in with Joey's passing. I trust it is not too soon to express these ideas. If so, my apologies.
Do any of us mourn the fact that Joe is with the Lord? No. Are any of us sick with grief that he is safe in the glory of eternal life? Of course not. Is there any among us who doesn't get butterflies in the pit of their stomach at the thought of actually BEING with him again one day in paradise? NO WAY!!...Why?
Because all the afore mentioned things are of God. The core of our very belief. We all pray for the exact same outcome for our own lives,dont we? Our existance is not based on this world or the things in it. And here is what God showed me.
If it is not of God, it is of this world. In the Bible, we are taught that Satan is loose in this world and that worldly pleasures are evil. However, worldly pleasures are also wonderful, warm gifts from God. Joey was such a gift.But,as Human beings, everything about us, save our souls,is of this world. Joey's smile is of this world. His hugs are of this world. The future vacations you will spend without him are of this world.The cell phone calls that will no longer come are of this world.Even the pork paw was of this world! Every thought you have of his existance before Heaven, from conception to passing... is of this world. And Satan... is of this world. So he is trying his best to keep your grief over the loss of these wonderful worldly pleasures from allowing you to embrace what Jesus Christ has given for us all!! Don't let him do it! Jesus said in Matthew 16:26- "What profit is there if you gain the whole world- and lose eternal life?" Yes, as hard as it seems, we are grieving for ourselves,for our loss of Joseph Neil Johnson. But which is more precious, what we have lost, or what HE has gained? So to all who mourn for their loss of Joey, could the road back to the light be by slowly letting the "Godly" outweigh the "worldly"? It seems to be working for me. And with time, and Gods mighty love, all will be well.
GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.
Be it of this world or not, losing a child is the worst thing that can happen to a parent. Every parent would rather have their child bring them to the grave instead of the other way around.I do not think it has anything to do with "satan". It has everything to do with completely normal, human loss for the thing you loved most on this earth. My heart goes out to the Johnson family. Take all the time you need to cry, be angry, doubt everything you ever believed in, and find your way back to a new normal.
A friend
I think Steven Curtis Chapman says it well in the lyrics he added to his song after his precious daughter died:
I’ve walked the valley of death’s shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I’ve had to let go of more than I could bear
And questioned everything that I believe
But still even here
in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you.
It's hard, we cry, we grieve, but in the end we remember that only in Christ can we find true joy...
I believe grief has no timetable. Even Jesus wept and grieved when Jesus himself understood better than anyone where He came from and where He was going. "He was a man of sorrows and aquainted with grief." Isaiah 53:3 He understands the deep pain the Johnsons are going through losing and missing Joey. Jesus offers us tremendous hope because of Joey's salvation but the grieving process is mending hearts that are completely broken over losing their precious son.
Let the tears flow
Let them wash down your face
into Heaven's grace
Let them fall gently
into His hands
that were torn with ragged nails
He knows, He understands,
Every trail that sorrow takes
He has trodden in our place
Gary Workman
Dear "anonymous friend"..
I apologize if I conveyed any feelings of insensitivity regarding Joe and Karens loss. You are so, so right! Losing a child is an unthinkable thought that all of us with children have had since this happened to them. I for one know that I could not have shown the grace, thankfullness and surrender that they have shown throughout this part of their journey. I impliment no "time limits", either. But where I respectfully disagree with you is in your statement that Satan has nothing to do with this. You couldn't be more wrong, and I believe Joe and Karen know this. Satan lost, and God won on May 22, 2008, and he is none too happy about it. and I must tell you, that in my opinion, advising them to "doubt everything you have ever believed in" gives him a frightening foothold. This bridge will need to be crossed, when and where is God's decision. And I have no doubt that Joe and Karen will come through each step of this predestined journey richer in grace, and closer to our creator.
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