Cousin Love & Loss

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

We have lost 3 family members in the last 3 months. It's been tough. Hard to wrap my mind around. Not sure what to do or what to say.

We lost Josh in September. He is my cousin on my dad's side. Josh is the youngest son of my dad's sister Jeanie. I remember him as a very ornery kid. The only time I really ever saw him was at family reunions but he sure loved them and loved family. He had just started college at NWACC and had decided to study journalism. He was loving it and doing great.

(*I did snatch a couple of these pictures off of family facebook pages.)
Josh

Family Reunion - This is not all the cousins. I'm not sure we have ever all been together at one time, but that year there were several of us that made it. Josh is on the far left and Tonja is kind of in the middle.

Rodney in October. This was really odd for me. Somehow everyone in our family knew all about him but me. I do not remember him or being around him. He belonged to my uncle Willis (Dad's brother). You can tell it too. He looks exactly like him. He was also taken way to young. I pray that he was a Christian and that we will meet someday. I'm saddened by the loss and wish I had gotten the chance to meet him and get to know him.

Rodney

Tonja we lost last week. She is the oldest daughter of my dad's brother, Donnie. I have MANY good memories of her. There are 2 I think about the most. 1. She Loved singing the Devil went Down to Georgia when we were kids. She knew it by heart and would sing the entire song w/out music. :) 2. Playing incredible Hulk w/Uncle Donnie. He was the Hulk and we would all run and squeal and he would throw us around and scare us into fits of giggles. Tonja got hurt one night while we were playing and Aunt Teresa put a stop to anymore Hulk. :( I will forever cherish those times.

Tonja

Please keep our family in your prayers. Especially Donnie and Teresa, Aunt Jeanie, and Rodney's mother. I could not nor do I want to ever imagine the pain of losing a child.

I pray they rest in peace and I look forward to rejoicing w/them in heaven.

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed
He’ll prepare for us a place.

When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when trav’ling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.
Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.
Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.