Promise of Grace, not roses

Ever heard the song, Rose Garden?
   I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden.  Along with the sunshine, there's got    to be a little rain sometimes.

Recently, I have watched close friends grieve over the lose of a Mother of small children who took her life.  Amazing enough I am hearing statements like this.  "How could she do that to her kids?" "Did they not see the warning signs?"  "Could she possibly go to Heaven?"  Here is an example of someone who was walking in the "little rain sometimes", however, hers was a flood that wouldn't end.  How many times have I been so over-whelmed with financial matters, problems with kids, school, schedules, friends, family.  The lists go on and on....This brings me back to a friend of mine a few years ago that did the same thing.  She was a lovely woman with kids.  I just remember feeling so sad, empty, mad.  I was no different than the friends of this woman.  However, I realized I didn't know what was going on in my friends life behind closed doors.  She had been battling depression and the medicine wasn't working properly.  What I had to do was step back from the hurt of her being gone and realize there is something more to this.  Personally, I have never been on the "suicidal" road before, however, I have past by the exit sign and slowed down.  You are personally at your lowest.  That is when the devil becomes your best friend.  You even get so far gone you think it IS better for my kids, because what I have to offer them is THIS?  The missing piece of the puzzle is Jesus Christ.  He NEVER wants this for you.  Do I believe this woman and my friend are in Heaven because they attempted to "play" God.  Yes, I do.  Their sin is NO different than our sin.  The sin of stepping out of the path God chose for you.  HOW many times have I been guilty of that.  When we are no longer in alignment with God, everything gets out of whack.  Then we have to go to a Chiropractor to get it all lined up again.  God is our chiropractor.  He lines us up and sends us back on the path HE intended for us to go. 

I was listening to my IPOD this morning and Softly and Tenderly by Selah came on.  I grew up on this hymn.   But today, I heard it as it was fresh and new......
          Come home, come home, ye who are weary come home......
I believe my friend and this young mom are home.  Weary no more.  God has cured them of their sickness.  The hard part, is the ones left behind.  I do know, NOTHING good will come out of trying to put her down for what she did.  It's done.  The best gift you can give this mother's family is PRAYER.  God is the ONLY comfort in a time like this.  Don't believe it, just watch a Christian family that just lost a loved one.  I have experienced this first hand.  People don't understand how you function when you just lost your Mom.  God provides GRACE and COMFORT to those who need it and ask for it. 

I ask that you lift up this family in prayer.  There are several children involved in this.  And remember when you are trying to "rationalize" this, step back and remember, you probably don't know the whole story.  You weren't there in her last hours.  BUT, you can be there for the family.  And you can make sure you hug a friend today, you never know if that friend, mom, sister, brother, teacher, or principal is walking in sunshine or little rain......