In the blink of an eye...life changes.
After all the movers were gone, we still have work to do but we decided to make a trip to my mom's house so the children could stay with her and I could go to a homeschool convention. I needed to determine the school books for next year and it was an easy and less expensive route to get it all together. The plan was to only be gone for an hour or two...we had other things planned for the day....we were making capes for another event later in the week (more on that in a later post).
On the way home, my check tire light came on...I happened to be passing a tire company so I pulled over to have the air checked...I had a screw in my tire! I could have it fixed free of charge with a short wait.
SO...I went next door for a late lunch and checked my internet sites. I had a message from a friend back in East Texas that just broke my heart...a young man that I taught in 4H was killed in a car crash the day before....he was only 20 years old!
I had actually been praying for him not knowing a name since the Saturday before...I read the headlines of the paper to keep up with the local news there...saw the wreck reported but did not read the article. I just kept thinking about the wreck and saying a prayer as they said the man had been life flighted to another town due to his injuries. Then the day before I had read the headline that he had not survived the wreck so I had prayed for his family. Little did I know that the young man and his family would be someone we knew.
In the blink of an eye...Carlin Lowery...20 years old...just shy of his 21st birthday...would no longer have the burden of this world. Yet his family here would never be the same. It made all the chaos of the move and a flat tire of little importance.
Although I had not seen the Lowery family in many years...they were one of those families you do not forget. Very close knit and enjoyed spending time together rather than the rest of the world. I always knew that if I saw one of the children...the others would be close. The parents are very protective and want their children to be safe and away from worldly desires...I respected them for their wishes to care for their children in this crazy world we live in.
Carlin was the third child of the five...the one to follow the rules and show the most respect to his parents. He was always very close to his younger sister, Molly...they would all run around with us in 4H as we tromped through the woods for Forestry as well as Wildlife. He also joined us in Photography. I just loved having them involved because they took the contests seriously and I knew their mother (Jana) would be involved. The family only stayed active in our group for a couple of years. In that time, Carlin...with his shiny blonde hair and icy blue eyes...always had a smile on his face and was fun to be around. Amanda and Christina were on either side of him in age and became good friends with him as well as the others.
Then the years pass and we did not run the same roads together but when we discussed the "old days" of 4H with the girls, the Lowery family always were a part of the conversation. We have a lot of pictures of the family I will try to share.
We had already planned a trip back to East Texas to see Amanda...we moved our trip up a few days to make it to the funeral. I spoke to another friend and she told me that she had heard that they called Carlin...Sunshine...at work because he always had a smile and a positive attitude...I am sure it also had something to do with his blonde hair that never darkened. I was glad to know that he still had that his happy disposition.
When we arrived at the visitation...we spoke to Jana and she was very strong and holding it all together...as were the children. So odd to see these "children" all grown up...some married and with their own children. How time goes by...too quickly...not stopping for us...and yet here we are to bury this young man on the verge of adulthood. It is hard not to think...WHY!?! When speaking to the father...always the protector...he told me that he tried so hard to keep his children safe and out of trouble...but the world just came in and took Carlin...and their was nothing he could do.
I was not able to attend the funeral the next day. I heard that it was well attended...the family was supported and cared for...a pastor from the local church that Carlin had attended gave a sermon and said that we can not understand the workings of God...this was a bend in the road that we could not foresee and not understand but it was part of a greater plan. He also told the group that the world is screaming out for us to distract us from God...that is why it is so important to stop every seven days and give God time to help us refocus. Then there are also moments like this when we come to a stop abruptly to contemplate our place in this world. We cannot overlook this time...take it for granted...we must refocus and find the right path for our journey.
I thought it very courageous to hear that Jana had written a poem and read it during the eulogy. Molly also stood before the community and read a letter she wrote to Carlin remembering their childhood together. They also acknowledged the fact that Carlin was an organ donor. He was able to donate his heart to a 30 year old woman and his liver to a 40 year old man. They read a poem written about organ donors:
The Legacy
I didn't mean to leave so soon;
so much was left undone.
We always think that later's there:
it comes with every sun . . .
“I'm grateful I can help someone:
I've left a legacy
so someone else can yet live on
with some help from me . . .
“I hope that you find comfort
in my memory:
The work I do helps someone live—
my greatest legacy.”
I pray that these things will bring healing. I will continue to pray for this family and I ask that you do the same. May God bring peace for the family and eternal rest for Carlin.
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