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| Flowers we receive |
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| The Flowers we received |
Some years ago I took Roderick to Staples to buy something
he needed for school. I explained to him
that we would get only what he needed and we would look for the best price
because we were in a situation financially where we needed to be careful how much
we spent. When we had found what we
needed we went to checkout and the cashier asked if I’d be willing to make a
donation.
“Sure.” I said,
“five dollars”.
“You said we need to
be careful how much we spend”, Roderick pipes up.
I looked at him and
responded, “but we’re still always generous”.
“Then why don’t you
give five hundred dollars”? He asked.
By this time the
cashier is smiling and looks at Roderick and says, “Your mom said generous not
crazy”.
That word crazy,
that was so commonly used by people observing Roderick in so many completely
different situations.
The week of
Roderick’s birthday has come on gone, his first Birthday in heaven. It has been a week full of joy and
sadness. It’s been painful yet so
precious.
Tuesday, which was
Roderick’s birthday, my niece went with me to pick up the two cakes and get
some snack for the party in the evening.
We went to visit Roderick’s gravesite together.
In the afternoon I went to school and the
moms from parents of prayer helped me serve Birthday cake to the grade 11s,
which are the kids from Roderick’s grade.
We also gave them each a post card, which I had printed for each of
them. After school we went to Tony
Roma’s for dinner with my sister and her kids and my niece who lives at out
house. My sister and her kids gave Roderick a card and some cash saying in it that since he couldn't receive it in heaven Tyler and Angeline could divide it up. When we got home we found a
bouquet of flowers in the front entrance, not sure whom they were from but if
your reading this, thanks a lot it means a lot.
After that ten of Roderick’s friends came over to play games, we watched
some videos of Roderick (he seems so real in those, hearing his voice and
seeing him). One of Roderick’s hockey
buddies also dropped by and brought us some flowers. Thanks so much. We feel so blessed to have so many friends
who remember us on these special days.
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| The wonderful ladies and prayer warriors who helped me serve the cake. They have been an incredible support to me. |
On Friday a bunch
of Roderick’s cousins came over, we watched the videos again, had cake and just
hung out. A couple of Roderick's cousins brought him some fish. I thought that was so special and such a perfect gift to bring him. Roderick loved his fish and so often he would want to be taken to the pet store to buy another fish. His fish and tank are still here and to add a few more fish would have been so special to Roderick. I find it so interesting and meaningful in what different ways people come up with to celebrate Roderick's birthday and to make him a part of it while he is in heaven.
I feel like it’s been a good
week even though I feel a little exhausted from trying to control my emotions
and dealing with the pain while at the same time focusing on the amazing
blessing of friends and family and the joy that remembering Roderick brings.
The following is
the verse I put on the front of the card and write-up I put on the back of the
card I handed out to Roderick’s friends.
Thanks to my friend who helped me with the writing.
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| The card I handed out |
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of
witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us
down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with
endurance the race God has set before us.
Hebrews 12:1 (Roderick’s race was
cut short but he is now in the stands cheering us on)
Roderick’s life was a person who truly celebrated life. He
had big dreams, was an accomplished athlete, and most of all loved his friends.
He was never afraid to be himself, and if people had a problem with who he was,
that didn’t concern him. He was proud of who he was.
In June of 2014, he
was given an assignment to write a letter to himself, which he could open when
he graduated. In that assignment he
wrote, “One thing I like about myself is that I have lots of energy.” Those of you who went to school with Roderick
will know that that energy sometimes got him into trouble, and those of you who
played sports with him will know how much that energy also benefited him. Twice
in that paper he mentioned that he had lots of friends. His friends and family
were always important to him.
Roderick was a guy
who did not waste time holding grudges. He tended to act before thinking things
through and that too would cause him to get in trouble at times, but he was
always quick to forgive others. I continued to see this in his life. In school
he would at times struggle to get along with a teacher, but it was not uncommon
for him to look back the following year and mention the things he appreciated
about that teacher.
Although Roderick’s
time with us was short, let us learn from his example to live life to the
fullest, to celebrate and be proud of who you are, to enjoy life’s adventures
and not be afraid to take risks, to be quick to forgive and to work hard to
accomplish your dreams. We miss Roderick and the energy and joy he brought to
us, but we know that he is now with the Lord and is the happiest he has ever
been. As Roderick looks down from heaven, the one thing he would want all of
you to know is how peaceful and loved he feels and how much he loves you, but
most of all how much God loves each one of you.
