thompson@athos.rutgers.edu (Marge Thompson) (08/12/90)
Our dear friends just lost their son Daryl in a tragic car accident. Questions, as usual, came up during the three days that we "officially" mourned this loss. And sometimes the questions are hard to answer. I have always found the 23rd Psalm a source of strength in joyous times as well as sad times. There is so much hope and love expressed in this Psalm. However, Daryl's fiancee (of just four weeks) expressed her question of why did God give us presents and then sometimes take them away. I couldn't answer it. I didn't know what to say to her. I tried to express how I felt about gifts from God and that even tragic events were gifts from God and how sometimes it takes us a long time to understand those gifts because we always think of gifts as happy events... The priest who celebrated the mass at the funeral talked about us giving thanks for everything God does - and how important that is. He also said we should be thankful that we all knew Daryl and were touched by him in some way. As an older person I could understand this. Glynda (Daryl's fiancee) could not and did not. She does not reject the bible. She had her bible with her and we found her many times during those three days just leafing thru it. I don't know what her religious affiliation is - I believe she is a Christian although I am not sure she is a practicing Christian. I told her that I would try to find some bible verses that would help to give her some answers to her question. I knew I could turn to this group and that someone would help us. Your friend in Christ, Marge Thompson