-Excerpt from my book Never Ceasing: God’s Faithfulness in Grief In cutting his earthly life short, God has withheld no good thing from our Hans. For the Christian, to die is gain, and Hans has surely gotten the better end of the deal. He is basking in the light of God’s presence, utterly shielded from …
I love to be in the woods after a snowfall when the only sound for miles around is your name as I speak it out loud
I know of a man and his wife, a little older than us, that had a son who died some time ago in a car crash. Same age as our Hans, same abrupt end. I don't know these folks personally; they are acquaintances of my husband. I have only seen them from a distance. I …
As a little boy, Hans would sing this hymn in the back seat of the car, all the way to town (45 miles), at the top of his lungs. It contains all the theology a little boy needs to know. Big boys, too. Nothing But the Blood of Jesus Robert Lowry (1876) 1 What can …
Though my Father served in the United States Air Force, I do not come from a particularly military family. Our son, Hans, did not serve in the military. But, as a volunteer firefighter/medic, he was given firefighter's honors at his memorial service. To be honest, I was floored. I did not expect such an honor. …
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; Isaiah 49:15-16 There are things about Hans I will never forget for as long as …
January 11, 2016 was the best day of Hans' life. That's the day he entered the Presence of Almighty God. And we are two years closer to seeing him again. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 †
"As death overcomes the body and the believer passes into life eternal, in the last moments of grace, is the still small voice of the Lord the last and clearest thing a child of God hears on earth?" Click here to read the entire post. Save
Originally published September 28, 2016 This summer, our first without Hans, has been like no other. In addition to Hans being gone, the rest of the family have been away from home for much of the summer work season. And it is very quiet. One of the first things that struck me after Hans went …
Though written by me in the voice of our son Josef, who has Down syndrome, the following piece was intended as a thank-you from myself to Hans for all his help in caring for his younger brother.
https://youtu.be/73-6P09xaAE I DON'T BELONG words by Gloria Gaither, music by Buddy Greene buddygreene.com It's not homeWhere men sell their soulsAnd the taste of power is sweetWhere wrong is rightAnd neighbors fightWhile the hungry are dyin' in the streetsWhere kids are abusedAnd women are usedAnd the weak are crushed by the strongNations gone madJesus is sadAnd …
I say that the tomb that closes upon the dead opens the heavens; and that what we here below take for the end is the beginning; -Victor Hugo
Hans was a flashlight fanatic. This, of course, led to a rechargeable battery habit. He did not want to get caught on a highway emergency call without a good light. Car repairs and other work at home often had to be done in the dark as well. So, not unexpectedly, this past Christmas Hans gave …
One of the things bereaved parents would like you to know is this: Even though they may seem pretty together and functional; even though they smile, though perhaps not very brightly and not for very long; and even though it seems like they are moving on with life, there are many, many things going on …
Can it be a whole year since we saw our boy's face? If you have a special memory of Hans (no matter how long ago), a funny story, or a photo you would like to share, please leave it in the comments section below, or visit Hans' memorial website here. Every memory posted is a …
You Can Trust Him 