Grief

It’s strange: It’s complex, this world of ours. Simultaneously may be seen the wink of giddy, of breezy conversation, of laughter and ecstasy, while smack against such rapture rubs the dank of despair and the bleed of disappointment. Profound desolation to repudiate any thought of understanding flaps about as does a winter cloak ‘neath dark and heavy sky.

Grief.

Not eager, but with dutiful approach I moved into the shadowy circle of one and two and then another, who at once is leaded with such anguish as to have taken on semblance of the wild. A new friend gawked with pale terror as I came into his space. His mouth moved to tell me, but the sound was fisted in his sick stomach and only his lips moved, and he was a fish sucking air. He fell, and then came voice,  moaning as he beat at the pavement. Useless we stood about. I raised my eyes and met those of another, and thought of ambulance and white coat.

We embraced, did she and I, and she could not speak; sounds came, and maybe they were words, but I believe they were not.

Anguish had paled his face so that his hue of eye was diluted and the sockets were huge; huge and white and dried. “What can I do? What can I do?” He slumped onto his arms atop the hard table, and there across from me was his quivering torso and his vulnerable sweet head. “Oh, God, help me. Help her,” he wailed. “What can I do?”

Smack against the trill of joyous life, of euphoria and exhilaration lie unspeakable grief and dark agony. Coexisting, at once they are inevitable parts of life.

Prayer Needed for Jones Family

Monday morning Edit: Because of the horrendous storm that has swept Texas and other Gulf Coast states, the funeral scheduled today for Justin has been postponed. A private funeral will be held Wednesday or Thursday, with a memorial service following in a week or two.

(Thanks to Arthur Hodges III and James Ghiloni for this information.)

Let’s continue to pray for this family, and all families so affected. Doubtless there are many others beside my friends, who in the midst of sorrow over the death of loved ones, have also had to face the challenge of this devastating storm.

Mailing Address for the Jones family.

Rev. Jim Jones (Dayna)

P. O. Box 859

Jarrell, TX. 76537

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Within the past couple of hours I sadly learned of the death of Justin Jones, the 30 year-old-son of my friend Dayna Jones. Two days ago, he collapsed in his home, was rushed to the hospital in Houston and never regained consciousness. He was kept alive on life-support until his parents and his brothers could make it to the hospital.

Justin married just two years ago, and has a nine-month old baby. He died from two brain aneurysms.

My friend, Nita Hodges, the sister of Dayna Jones, flew to be with her sister yesterday just before the Houston airport closed because of the approaching hurricane.

Please pray tonight for this dear family. They will not be leaving Houston at this time–are hunkered down there, racked with grief.

Pray for their safety from the storm, for solace, and for peace.