Full of Life
October 5, 2020 — Laura House
Today is Nathan’s thirtieth birthday and amazingly, his fifth “heavenly” birthday— and my heart misses him so.
When Nathan first left, the pictures and memories that I most desired were those of the last few years, reminding me of the closeness of our family; the sweet times together, conversations, hearing him dream about the future and watching him enjoy family and friends. With those memories, I hear his laugh, see his smile, and have discovered hundreds of Google chats we shared, many of them focusing on what I was currently cooking and when it would be ready.
But the longer he is gone, the more the memories of him as a child pervade my thinking. That is something I didn’t expect. Is it that way with you? As time continues to pass, I now remember with astounding clarity, the circumstances of his birth, his years as a toddler, and his interactions with his siblings. Considering the fact that I sometimes have trouble remembering things from day to day, I’m surprised at how vivid specific memories are from nearly thirty years ago— a rambunctious little boy, so full of life.
The youngest of three kids close in age, Nathan was born into a busy household, which explains why his baby book is sparsely documented. By the time I got the older two settled in bed, I was not only exhausted from the adventures of the day but also longed to have uninterrupted time with Nathan. So, almost every night for his first few years, I rocked him before putting him to bed. If I close my eyes now, I can feel his little arms wrapped around my neck and see his piercing brown eyes smiling back at me.
He was full of life from the start, busy, industrious, entertaining, and enjoyed each moment of every day. In the writings you’ve already read, you’ve hopefully gotten a glimpse of his zest for life and fun-loving spirit.
But as full of life as he always was on earth, I know he’s even more alive today. Our real life, full and eternal, awaits for those of us that are still here.
While expressing his thoughts about his future graduation to Heaven, Billy Graham stated, “Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”
Some day we will also be fully alive in the presence of God and reunited with those we love, and what a glorious day that will be.
Revelation 22:20— “ He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
