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Friday, December 10, 2010

SOME SWEET CHRISTMAS MEMORIES



Ho Ho Ho... This was taken when Jake was ten or eleven years old and we attended Benton Presbyterian Church where my father was the choir director. It was a small church and there were probably only about five or six little children so Santa insisted on EVERY kid, big and little sitting on his lap. hmmmmmmm

So of course even though Jake was at the age of being wise in the Santa department, I think he enjoyed sitting on the fat man's lap and telling him his wishes. I think all the "big" kids received Bibles.



Christmas '08. Mike and I took Jake and his friend Nancy from church to the American Rose Garden here in Shreveport where many acres of gardens are decorated in lights. We had a good time. Lots of laughs.



This was also '08 and these were taken in Jake's mobile home. Jake had told me around Thanksgiving time that he had never gone out and gotten his own tree since he and his wife had divorced. I planned to buy a new tree that year so gave him our old one along with lots of ornaments. He put the tree up and decorated it himself and was quite pleased with the results.



His oldest sister Lori and her hubby were in town visiting from Arkansas so we all got together at his house along with his friend Nancy and her two boys and had dinner which Nancy prepared and snacks. We played Scrabble and Jake's favorite Monopoly. He played Christmas Music and we had a really great time. I think Jake loved hosting the party most of all! He had bought tins of Popcorn for everyone that year!





This was the year before Buddy moved to Mobile and I always got tickled at he and Jake together as they were truly as little boys most of the time. Just having fun and enjoying their time together.





I have so many great Christmas pictures of Jake but for now will stop with this one. Jake was showing us all what someone had given him for Christmas and reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas.

Jake just lit up when he could tell someone of Jesus.

This will be a tough Christmas to get through this year but we will do it. I think the hardest part for me will be the fact that Jake will not be walking in my door on Christmas Eve to spend the night on our couch so he could get up early Christmas morning to open his stocking. It will not seem right to wake up Christmas morning to a quiet house with just the two of us. But then again nothing has seemed right since June 17. Maybe we'll go visit Jake's grave and take a little something to leave. Just to have a tiny connection with him.

As the poets write I can look in the sky at night and find the brightest star and say it is my boy or I can stop my pain long enough to say "Thank you God for the years we had with Jake" and then though the pain never leaves and the tears are still there I feel blessed because I know my boy is alive and is still with me in my heart. We have no choice of when our time on earth is over but we make a choice on how we deal with our heartaches.

As far as "getting over" the death of your child..........it is like asking someone who has lost his legs and arms if he is "over" the fact that he no longer can walk or touch something. We will never get over the pain of losing Jake but we will learn to live with it with grace and mercy.

Merry Christmas Jake

11 comments:

  1. I cannot fathom the depth of your pain but I pray the Comforter will be you and your family and lift up your hearts with joy in knowing that Jake is in a better place and is at peace. What a wonderful young man he must have been and I'm sure he is enjoying the presence of God at this moment. Blessings, Ann

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  2. Precious Memories forever in your heart sweet friend. I can only imagine your loss in my heart... What I do know is that you will see your sonshine again one day...what a glorious reunion that will be.

    Merry Christmas Beautiful Lady~

    Love, Rebecca

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  3. I can only imagine how hard all the "firsts" are for you and your family. Christmas must be one of the hardest of all. I pray the peace only God can give will surround you this Christmas season.

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  4. Our memories are so special with our children that are now in heaven. I know how much you must miss Jake because I sometimes feel I miss Chris so badly my heart will break into. God bless you and I know our boys would want us to remember the good time we had together. It is so hard at times.

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  5. Jake will be having the best Christmas he has ever had this year! I am glad you have these memories to hold on to. I will be thinking of you, dear friend.
    Debbie

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  6. God be with you. It is hard. I don't live with out a child, although I came close. That child lives each day with useless legs. I know she doesn't get over it....but she has learned to live with it. My prayers are with you, may you find peace and enough joy to out-shine the sadness.

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  7. Oh my sweet Mollye, I smiled thru this post because I could feel the love for Jake and all of those sweet memories! He was a light in the room and that smile is awesome! I love the pictures of him and Buddy, I know how much they loved each other!

    The first Christmas after the death of both of my Parents WAS the worst! BUT... we filled those Christmases with things that reminded us of them. We did things that we would have done if they were there and somehow, with God's help, we made it thru!

    Love and prayers to you my friend! BIG HUGS!

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  8. Imagine the celebration going on in Heaven! Sandie

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  9. You will always have such beautiful memories like these to share and enjoy. I am praying for you and the family to have a wonderful Christmas with many new blessings. I love knowing you so much and feel so awful that I have been MIA! The struggle of working full time and sorting out the old place and the new are mind numbing some days! But I am glad I was able to stop by here and say hello. Love and many blessings to you sweet sis! Anne

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  10. Hi Mollye, I am Louisiana Bayou Lady/ Jackie. Thank you for visiting my blog. I am following you now, and will be back in a few days to read back a few months as you suggested!Having never lost a child, I can't imagine the hurt and loss you must feel. All I know is the deep loss of losing a parent, and that was hard.So hard. Losing a child goes way beyond that , I'm sure. I was with my daddy when he died. Though I know he longed for heaven, it does not make me miss him less. Why do people think that? Maybe because they have not been there.

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  11. Hi sweetie, what a beautiful tribute to Jake and boy you hit it spot on when you spoke of getting over Jake's death, I know how painful this Christmas will be but I also know you will do what Jake would want of you to be happy and move forward as you are doing the - best you can.
    Sending big hugs from Canada....:-)

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