Special friends, special memories...
The boys - 80's party 2003
Mardi Gras 2003
New Years Eve 2006
New Years Eve 2006
Redneck Party for Chad's B-day
Brian's Bachelor Party
Tim's Goodbye to Colorado Party
Guavaween 2003
Mardi Gras Party 2003This week was very difficult for our family and for many of our very close friends, our Florida family, as we lost a very dear friend way before his time. Tim Erzinger departed this life on Wednesday, September 24th.
As many of you know, Chad and I were incredibly blessed to have met a wonderful group of people, including Tim, about a year after we moved to Florida… folks that were also from Denver. Having that, and the fact that most of us worked at the same place, in common brought us together and before too long we became family. Over the past 7 years we’ve been together through birthdays, holidays, many weddings (& some break-ups), and even had 3 babies join our special extended family. And while it is almost unreal to know that Tim will not be here on this earth to share continued life experiences, we also know that he is with our Heavenly Father now and that he will be with us in spirit.
It is unfortunate, but tragic events like this force us to realize just how fragile life is and sometimes causes us to take pause and reflect on the people and things that we value most in this life. I wanted to share a story about something that I experienced just yesterday that really strengthened my belief in knowing that we have to live this life fully and faithfully.
It started last Sunday when I was having a conversation with my mom Rolayne, talking about the trials of being a mother and how I was having a hard time with some things where my kids are concerned. She and I have always shared a special relationship, and this conversation was not unlike any other ending in a sharing of her testimony of our faith and advice to me to pray sincerely and specifically about the things I was struggling with. I guess there was one slight difference, as she told me about an article she read in a recent church publication about parenting. She told me that she was going to put the magazine in the mail so that I could read it.
I was gone for the better part of last week on a work trip to Boston, and when I came home yesterday the package with the magazine was at the doorstep. That evening I picked up the magazine, and before I opened it up to read I did pray. I prayed for not only being able to receive the fullness of the message of the article on parenting, but also for peace in my heart and mind about my good friend Tim’s death. As soon as I opened to the first page another article caught my eye titled May We So Live. More specifically, a passage jumped out at me that said – “How fragile life, how certain death. We do not know when we will be required to leave this mortal existence. And so I ask, “What are we doing with today?”” As you can imagine the article was about death, but more importantly it was about living life. There were many wonderful things in this article about how to live our lives more fully, but what struck me most was the message about how this life is full of opportunities, and many times we procrastinate what we can (and should) do today. How simple this message, how wonderful the implications of acting on it! I also read a comforting passage, something that I want to leave with anyone who is reading this blog, especially to my Florida family - I love you all so very much and hope this gives you peace and comfort.
“For we saw him, even on the right hand of god; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father – That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God. This is the knowledge that sustains. This is the truth that comforts. This is the assurance that guides those bowed down with grief out of the shadows and into the light. It is available to all.”
