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What does it
mean to be
a Christian
when the God you know and love
takes a child you know and love?
When He takes
your child
your baby
your most
beloved
belonging?
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✟ ✟ ✟
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It means
your child
your baby
— made it to Heaven before you did —
It means – this moment – this second
your child
your baby
rests in the arms
of our Lord
~ Jesus Christ ~
For the instant
Time ceases
God begins
1
2
3 4 5
6
7
8
9
The infant of infinity will forget that Time was,
but your child will always remember you!
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
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May 15, 2011
© Keith Alan Watson
Uncle Tree's House 
Dedicated to the memory of Yessica Lizbet Leon-Beltran
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Ah, the wood! The Tree from which the cross was made
helped to make Life eternally possible for all who believe.
Oh, yes, the wood! The wood that withstood
the weight of the world as it came bearing down
on the soul of Christ, Nature’s finest Son of God!
Of such is the kingdom of heaven – children!
May we say that we ‘envy’ the little one? I am sure we can …there before us.
John 10:10 (King James Version)
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
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I have come into this world as a question.
Once I have learned what I must –
and have an answer to give – then,
perhaps, I will have fulfilled the quest
that brought me to Earth in the first place.
How I’ll get from here to there I do not know.
But I pray everyday that I will be shown the way.
Uncle Tree’s Prayer:
“The Way is the way of truth and light.
May I know the Truth when I hear it.
May I see the Light right in front of my face.
May I cross the bridges as they directly appear.
May I make a righteous choice at every curious crossroad.
May I choose the road chosen by someone smarter than me, by God!”
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Thank you for visiting, Spencer! 🙂 God bless you and yours!
So full of Hope, this poem… my dearest Uncle Tree.
May Peace and Love rest in the hearts of all who has known this child.
And may He wrap His loving arms around the parents and bring them comfort.
countless are the ways to deal with such a great loss and each that works is as godly as it can be.
I guess there is not greater tool in this life than trust and it is matter not to whom our hearts bow
Beautifully said, Penny!
I find it hard to bring thoughts
such as these – to words.
At best, I can only imagine…
Thank you! Love, UT
Thank you for visiting, Dhyan!
If trust is a tool,
then faith is not folly,
hope is not hopeless,
and love – our only answer
in a time of loss –
remains the greatest of all.
Peace, Keith
Nothing is sadder and more unnatural than to lose a child. It is every parent’s biggest nightmare the day their child is born.
Uncle Tree, your writing is beautiful and moving, as always.
-Martie
Thanks for stopping by, Martie! And thank you for the compliment!
Unnatural…by that I expect you mean that it doesn’t feel right.
It feels as if it is just plain wrong. Parents might have the thought
that they must have done something wrong to deserve such a fate.
Rightfully so, and I will not attempt to diminish their natural emotions.
In this, I cannot speak from experience,
and I hope to God I never have to. Still,
we must believe and keep the faith.
That doesn’t come naturally to any of us,
but through experience we will come to
know that what seems to be unnatural
is not necessarily so, and we come to see
that what is most unnatural is our doubt.
I pray that we – the people on this earth – will
one day overcome those doubts about God and
the Eternal Life promised to us by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Peace, UT
hello, i am making a little slide show to go with one of my sacred songs and i would like to use your painting. it is so beautiful AND I had this dream when I was 10….I was in Gods hand and He was showing me the beauty of the world.. I can put your name as the artist?? I await your reply…..
Hello, Frances! 🙂 That was indeed, quite the cool dream.
The magnificently beautiful painting by ‘Jonathan’, I lifted from
Google Images. Many of those images are part of the public domain,
so it allowed me to copy this one. Although, I will not use it anywhere
else for I respect his copyrights. I do not know Jonathon. I would also
liked to have asked him first. Who knows? Maybe I’ll still get the
chance. 😉 Perhaps, he’ll Google himself and ask to see God’s hands
holding a child. I wonder if he had that dream, too. Hmmm…
Nice to meet you, and thanks for visiting! Truly, Uncle Tree
Preach it my brother.
I aim to, my good man!
Beautiful!
Glad you liked this, jp. Thank You!
Uncle Tree, Years ago my wife and I lost a child. It seems like yesterday. Your words are a great comfort.
Thank you for your kind comment re. Archangels. Your encouragement has moved me to post more of my poetry.
Dear sir,
I’ve had a lot of complimentary comments over the past 4 1/2 years (update).
I enjoy making attempts at getting my readers to think a little, to question their beliefs, and surely I like to imagine them smiling or chuckling once in a while as they read my works. But,
I can’t recall anyone ever saying that my words were a comfort to them, or comforted someone they truly love and care for dearly.
Your words gave me a deep, deep feeling that is somewhat hard to describe. I feel now as if my words mean something, and have value
above and beyond the art of creating a successful blogging site.
Thank you for that very heart-warming response!
God bless you and your wife, and may God bless
the day that your family is finally reunited – for good.
Peace to you, Robert.
Thanks for popping by my page and leaving a comment. I’m glad I followed you back here.
Someone close to us experienced the pain of giving God His ‘lent child’ back. She was only eight.
The experience was one of the most painful things I have ever watched someone walk through. Wish I had your poem then to share with the hurting…
Blessings,
ann
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Thank you very much, Ann – for taking the time
to visit me, and to comment on this spiritual work of mine!
This has to be one of the most difficult and hurtful
of circumstance to be found on our blessed Earth.
God bless you! 🙂 UT
A beautifully written posting that attempts to come to terms with a tragic occurrence.
With that in mind, I was more than a little hesitant in deciding whether to write the following comments. I hope these words will be received in the same spirit as that in which they are sent.
HAS ANYONE GONE TO HEAVEN?
Does the Word of God actually reveal to us that those who qualify, or anyone else for that matter, will be going to heaven when they die?
This is one of many reasons why it is essential to understand the meaning of God’s annual Holy Days – They reveal to us the framework of God’s Plan. Unfortunately, many churches do not respect these holy days, or teach the meaning of them.
Jesus spoke to the apostles on this subject:
John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
V.36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
The last few words of verse 36 are assumed by many to mean that the apostles, and all future true believers in Christ, will follow Him to heaven on death. However, that is not what this verse says – it actually means that they will follow Christ later, when He returns to earth.
The apostles and those who have qualified in this lifetime are to be resurrected as SPIRIT BORN in the first resurrection. Rev. 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev. 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
There are those who sincerely believe that those who have qualified in this lifetime and have died before Christ’s return will be in heaven with Him until that day comes.
What do the Scriptures say?
Eccl. 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any [thing] that is done under the sun.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Psalms 146:4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
Psalms 115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
Psalms 6:5 For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
The above verses give a little gloomy picture, but let us remember that TIME as we perceive it in the physical world only began when the Universe came into motion.
God’s (spiritual) measurement of time is somewhat different:
Psalms 90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight [are but] as yesterday when it is past, and [as] a watch in the night.
2 Peter 38 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Father’s House
Returning to John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
Is not the Fathers House His temple? – A temple has many rooms and Christ tells us that He is going to prepare those rooms to be occupied by those who qualify for positions in the temple WHEN HE RETURNS. Jesus on His return will be the head of Gods Temple – the High Priest, and those that are resurrected in the first resurrection (on Christ’s return) will have various positions of authority with Him in Gods Temple on this earth – Not in heaven.
Matt: 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Does the Bible tell us of anyone who has ascended to Heaven?
John. 3: And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.
No person has ever ascended to heaven
The Crucifixion
There are those that refer to Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.- as proof that we go to heaven on death
Did Jesus promise the thief that was crucified next to Him that he would join Him in heaven?
The word used here is Paradise – but is Paradise heaven?
Strongs # G 3857 – Paradeisos
1) among the Persians a grand enclosure or preserve, hunting ground, park, shady and well watered, in which wild animals, were kept for the hunt; it was enclosed by walls and furnished with towers for the hunters
2) a garden, pleasure ground
2a) grove, park
3) the part of Hades which was thought (they did not know) by the later Jews to be the abode of the souls of pious until the resurrection: but some understand this to be a heavenly paradise
4) the upper regions of the heavens. According to the early church Fathers, the paradise in which our first parents dwelt before the fall still exists, neither on the earth nor in the heavens, but above and beyond the world.
In some elements of first-century Judaism, this word Paradise described the heavenly abode of the soul between death and the resurrection. After Jesus rose from the dead, He stated that he had not yet ascended to the Father (John 20:17); therefore, Paradise cannot be identified as the final abode of the blessed – and it cannot be heaven.
However, the soul and the human spirit are two different entities – the former physical and the latter, as its name implies, is spiritual (invisible). We do not have a soul, we are a LIVING SOUL (physical and material – Genesis 2:7)
Jesus did not rise to heaven on his physical death – His body lay in a tomb for 3 days and 3 nights – not one and a half days as the Easter celebrations would have us believe.
Jesus did not rise to heaven until He resurrected in spirit form.
If we take a look at Luke 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
Jesus has yet to return to claim His Kingdom – He has already qualified to remove the ‘god of this world’. The Paradise mentioned in Luke is on this earth – Not in heaven.
There are so many examples one could mention but take a look at what those who ‘wait upon the Lord’ will inherit:
Psalms 37:9. What will ‘the blessed of God’ inherit? – Psalms 37:22. What will ‘the righteous inherit’? – Psalms 37:29 – They shall inherit the earth
What does the Lord’s Prayer say -…thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…
Much more could be written on this subject, but there is enough here to perhaps open an avenue of new thought for some. However, we are expected to study for ourselves what the Word of God reveals to us. We are expected to ‘prove all things’.
A good many people may well be surprised and not a little disappointed in what God’s Word actually reveals about the coming future.
Nice to meet you, John! I do agree with all you have said here,
but you could have just left a link. That was my longest comment ever.
I wish I could just give you a separate page. You make
good use of your intellect for God’s sake. Good on you!
You can see how I agree if you read my last post. 🙂
Peace to you, UT
Uncle Tree, who is the artist named Jonathan. I would like to get in contact with him about a painting.
I wish I knew, Dedric. I’d like to thank him, and compliment him
on this beautiful painting of God’s hands holding a child.
People love it! 🙂 Peace to you this Christmas, UT
Beautiful presentation of Truth and Love
Thank you very much, kind sir! 🙂
It seems ‘God knows best’ is the only answer, even though sometimes I hear, ‘I don’t know’ or maybe ‘God is testing you.’ I believe God is all Good. He is constantly working on our behalf. He is the good Shepard who protects His sheep but every once in a while a lion or a tiger devours one.
Very true, Noel. It’s simply a difficult subject.
With this poem, I hope for the best.
I believe we must. Then let them rest
in peace and trust the good Lord’s just
got the greatest hands to hold and caress.
I cannot imagine the pain of losing a child, But our paths are all woven with the threads of our Creator, Each Path no matter how long or short a stay here upon this Earth Realm holds a sacred place within the scheme of Life and its Lessons of growth..
There are still many things we as Humans have forgotten, But more and more as we remember we are all connected and all one, we understand that no life is lost.. For we are all of us eternal spiritual beings of light… Some rise up and shine, while others may forget and become shadows for a time.. But everyone is open to progression. I feel that Grief is part of that journey, as is Compassion, and Love.. Each emotion a learning curve on our homeward journey..
A beautiful Poignant Post..
Well said, Sue. I couldn’t agree more.
Daily the numbers grow and leave a solemn sadness.
May God’s hands sweep up all the grief left behind,
so these parents might know – the cure for their sorrows
lies in the realization that the hold of love is holding them, too.
Hark! I hear Hope sweetly singing Softly in an undertone,
Singing as if GOD had taught her, “It is better farther on.”
Night and day I hear her singing Singing while I sit alone,
Singing so my heart may hear it, “It is better farther on.”
When my faith took hold on JESUS, Light divine within me shone,
And I know since that glad moment, “It is better farther on.”
I have plunged into the fountain, Flowing free for everyone;
I am saved and Hope is singing, “It is better farther on.”
Farther on, but how much farther? Count the milestones one by one;
No, no counting, only trusting “It is better farther on.”
Rest, my soul, in hope forever, all my doubts and fears are gone;
JESUS is my Savior, Keeper “It is better farther on.”
“Gimme that old-time religion, gimme that old-time religion.
Gimme that old-time religion, that’s good enough for me.”
🙂 And you, my friend! Thanks for sharing an oldie, but goody!
There are many questions we wanna ask God – many answers we hope to have but God’s ways are not our ways & why He takes a dear child home will never quite clear to us mere humans (till we get to Heaven that is), however, we can trust that He works for the good of those who love Him. i know friends who have lost their dear little one to cancer, it was a long hard painful journey but they held fast to our Dear Lord & He got them through it all & now they are in a wonderful position to help others & are even more grateful to be blessed with yet another little one to care for.
Thanks for this poetry, thanks for sharing & thanks for stopping by my blog & commenting. Glad to be sharing the faith.
You’re welcome, Sandra, and thank you for that testimony!
If my words be a comfort to someone as they grieve, that surely
means a lot to me. Keeping the faith means giving the hope.
With this poem, I wanted to skip the questions of – why?
and jump straight to the paradisiacal conclusion, which,
in my mind, is immediate and forthwith, as opposed to
resting in peace until the Lord’s Second Coming.
Take care now. Sincerely, Uncle Tree
I think losing a child has to be the hardest experience a person could face. I send you much love and light. Thank you for visiting Source of Inspiration. hugs, pat
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I think you’re right, Pat. And thank you for the well-wishes!
Luvz & Hugz, UT
Thank you for commenting on my blog, Uncle Tree. I came here and found your words.
It happened to me many years ago. (I lost a child) I have been in and out of love with God ever since. I deny Him a lot of the time but I am selfish enough to ask Him for help every time I’m in trouble; a hypocrite.
I’m afraid most of the time, of not being able to cope, yet He has never deserted me. I know He’s there but I cannot be sure. Faith is what I need. I wish I could live in joy but it eludes me, as it has for fifty years now, and I don’t have anything to bellyache about.
A couple of months ago I almost ended it all; a dark time. I don’t know what stopped me. Maybe I haven’t finished my walk yet.
Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
From one human being to another, I say, “You’re welcome.”
Thank you for sharing an experience that I can barely imagine.
Most importantly, you’re still here; you’re still with us; you’ve
carried your cross best you could. If I have lightened your burden,
if only for a little while, then I feel my time was well spent; my words hit their mark; my intentions bore fruit, and God’s reasons for
giving me the gift of these words to share become understandable.
We’re all hypocrites at times. It’s part of our nature. No need to
damn yourself for that. I pray God finds a way to reassure you.
He’s big enough to take the blame. I pray you find a way to
forgive Him, as He forgives you. Time is of the essence. Get that
thorn out of your side that you may heal, and then you will have
what it takes to finish the race with grace. You have something
to teach us. If you can keep the faith – after all you’ve been
through – after all the terrible things God has put on your plate –
if you can do that, then you strengthen our faith by your example.
May God speed your recovery and bring you hope once again.
Sincerely, I wish you the best – the peace that surpasseth
all understanding. He can do it. This I know. Yours truly, UT
I am creating a slide show presentation to a poem I wrote in 2005 called Unheard/Unseen and was wondering if I could use one or some of your images I found on google images. I have youtube channel called SWAMvideos. The titles are Sounds From The Womb Movie and the other is on the page. I’m still pretty new at this. Thank you for your posts I just found in regard to bringing glory to God the Father through Jesus Christ. I look forward to your response.
Blessings
Did you even read the poem above, good sir? If I were you
travelling along on a mission, as you seem to be, I would most
certainly comment on the work presented before I asked for
favors. Folks might easily consider your comment as spam.
The artist, Aaron Pocock, was kind enough to let me borrow a
few of his stupendous works. I asked permission from him to
do so. If you wish to copy and use his artwork, please, ask
him for permission yourself. Just follow the link I left above.
Google images are public domain, but copyrights remain as is –
not for sale. Good day, Mr. Stuff. And good luck. 🙂 UT
This poem is both visually beautiful and the words reflect that beauty as well. Such a comfort to those of us who have given over a child or grandchild to our heavenly father… Its difficult for us to accept sometimes, but works such as yours reinforce faith and love and the belief that we will see them again someday… Thank you…
Dear Lady of the Heart, Those were very kind words,
just the kind of words I needed to hear today. Much appreciated!
God bless you! Thankfully, Keith
What John Graham says above may sound very good but the reality is Jesus is not waiting to claim His Kingdom.
If we’re born again His Kingdom indwells us.
Paul put it this way in Rom. 14:17; “”For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy IN the Holy Spirit.”Remember Jesus told the religious leaders when they asked Him concerning the timing of the Kingdom, “His response was the Kingdom is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is! or, There it is!’ For behold the Kingdom is in your midst.” Where the King is there is the Kingdom. Paul said in Romans the Kingdom is not in outward things like eating and drinking but is revealed by His righteousness and peace which brings believers great joy ; these are descriptive words to show reveal to us what the Indwelling Holy Spirit accomplishes in our lives as Christians. Simply put the Kingdom of God Indwells us the Kingdom is IN the Spirit!
Firstly, jrsorrow, I hope you relished the poetic piece above.
Secondly, I can understand John Graham’s stance on the subject.
I believe he is sincere in his quest, and he does more than a fair
share of research concerning any particular subject matter that
passes his way, or is brought to his attention by questioners such
as myself. Translation and interpretations are many, but still,
the truth is often felt as being just beyond our grasp, however
we choose to see it, and from whatever angle we find ourselves
delving into it. Personally, I believe we each deserve the right
to come to our own conclusions based on our own true experiences.
Sometimes our experiences don’t easily lend themselves to words.
I’m not sure there is a huge gap between what we see and define
as the physical world, as opposed to the spiritual realm. When
we get down to the real nitty gritty at the subatomic level, things
get fuzzy. Wave or particle? Dream or reality? Isn’t it all relative
to the observer’s point of view and the speed at which they traverse
the Universe compared to the speed of the object undergoing
observation, or in other words, the reflective matter at hand?
Lastly, I wrote this to comfort and reassure parents who have had
to undergo the most horrible of all living experiences. I mustered up
all the faith that was available to me before I took the task to words.
It has been my experience, and therefore I believe there is no
psychic waiting room in which we rest until some future date in a
dimension that in and of itself is timeless – eternity. I stand by the
words offered up to me in a moment or two of divine inspiration.
I thank you for visiting, and I appreciate the time you took to reply.
There is nothing more difficult than making the attempt to simplify
that which by all rights is darn right confusing and complicated.
God help us all. Sincerely, Uncle Tree
It makes my heart hurt, but it is truly beautiful.
Uncle Tree, the natural is nowhere near the spiritual. What we see will pass away. What we have been freely given IN Christ will endure forever. 🙂
Thank you for the heartfelt compliment, ma’am! 🙂
IN Christ – is also how I see it, jr. Currently,
we are not entirely outside of the image of God.
Are we not members of the body of Christ?
Does not the Mind Of God encompass All?
What passes away is easily and mindfully
remembered by our Lord; by our Creator.
Something tells me that He can remake us at will;
resurrect us at will, however, whenever, and forever –
whatever pleases Him; whosoever He wishes to recreate.
Instead of rewriting my thoughts on the matter (prima materia):
Beautiful! – BTW, Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo touches nicely on this theme.
Yes, I agree, Ralph. I read that shortly before I ran into a reason (unfortunately) to write this, and so, I did write it FOR REAL! Thank you much for the compliment.
God has my angel waiting for me in heaven! It’s been a while UT. Thank you for a wonderful reminder that he is well taken care of 🙂
Yes, Elva, I remembered you correctly.
Good to see you again! But, I’m sorry.
I didn’t know your story.
Glad I was able to remind you in a
comforting way. Peace be with you, UT
Thank you for the promo, Mo Jo! 🙂
Thank you for always speaking with love from your heart my friend. You are beautiful and I am grateful that God put us in the same world. 🙂
How very nice of you to say that.
🙂 You’re welcome! With gratitude, UT
Thank you. These are lines of comfort to me, “The infant of infinity will forget that Time was, but your child will always remember you.”
I’m glad my words were a comfort to you, Jolyse.
And I certainly hope that line is true.
Nice to meet you! Peace, UT
It’s a wonder we can ever forget, and be happy. History remains the same, and we never change. “Survival of the fittest!” may be true, but Darwin also taught us that individuals do not evolve – only species do, and that’s a rare happening.
“God bless the child whose got his own.”
My son died in April of 1983 at the age of 2 months…. I have never been the same. I have 3 children who are living and grown and grandchildren who bring me joy and gratitude.
Losing a child is one of the worst and painful experiences any parent can endure, I am so grateful that I have faith that God will reunite us when it is time…. and the poem you posted touched me and made me cry with tears of sadness but also joy and true, true gratitude to have God carrying me through this life and the faith that I will be carried on to the the eternal life that He has promised and that all things work together for GOOD according to His purpose…… I love your blog!
Here is a post I posted regarding my own loss…. http://theoneonlyjeanne.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/someone-we-never-talk-about/
It is hard when a child dies so young and as his mother I want him to be remembered ….. because he lives in my heart always and forever.. I am so looking forward to holding his spirit within my spirit when we are reunited.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Jeanne. It’s beyond sad. A tragedy like this must really ‘try’ a parents faith in a good, benevolent, and loving God. But I do believe He’s BIG enough to take the blame, and righteously so. Still, we must forgive Him as He forgives us. That may be the most important part of my daily prayer.
“When God Takes A Child” was not written by a father who knows
this pain (and I do thank God for that). But I mean what I said, and
my words come from a man of faith. I have to believe. Indeed,
I must believe, for my soul and my conscience give me no other
choice in the matter. Love matters. Bless you and yours! /\ UT
I have never blamed God. I have always known in my spirit that we live in a fallen world and Jesus came to save us from this world. Brian brought more joy in his short life than anything. I am comforted to know that my son knew nothing but love, hugs, comfort and pureness in his heart and soul. I am in the anticipated hope that he channels that pureness of heart each day through me and my actions.
God bless you and yours, Jeanne. ♥ Your faith is commendable!
My dear brother passed away yesterday at the tender age of 46.
When I wrote this last May, I prayed to God that this would never
happen to me personally, but now, my mother and father have
to suffer this fate – this unfortunate event – this true test of faith.
I finally had the opportunity, this past June, of showing my Mom
that I had tried my hand at writing Christian poetry. This poem
has become my most-viewed piece of work since the beginning
of this blog 3 years ago. I was not so secretly proud of this one.
And so, my mother sat down for a minute or two and read it. Then
she got up and slowly left the room without saying a word. That
sorta bothered me at the time, but now I clearly understand why.
I do believe my brother’s warm and loving soul is roaming amongst us at this time, and during this juncture, he will continue to do so. He voiced a wish a few months back. If this very sad event were to occur, he wished to communicate his feelings from the other side of the illusory veil in order to comfort and reassure his loved ones. As each moment passes away, we are listening and waiting, patiently and assuredly.
God bless Richard The Lionhearted Watson. Amen
Your words sound more like a prayer to me!
Wishing you well dear one xoxo
Thank you, Olivia. Good to see you here once more. 🙂
Shall be around more… 🙂 I feel at peace here 😀
and I am reworking on one of my poems… you were right, I could do better!
hugs xoxo
Excellent poem that causes serious thought and relief all in the same breath! I love where it pauses and makes you click the read more button…and it has very good art work to go along with it!
Well done Keith
…Huskers ain’t doin too bad either beatin Michigan the other day!…just sayin’
Take care
Glad you found this one worthy of the cause, Stuart. Thank you!
The Huskers eked out another yesterday. Good grief!
In the last 6 seconds, but a win’s a win. Your Sooners
did well to get out of Iowa State in the positive.
Tough joint to play sometimes. Still, Kansas State
looks to be the best of the Big 12. Good luck with them.
You take care, too, bud, and have a great Sunday! 🙂 Keith
Thanks for dropping by my blog. Reading your poetry is joy. Thanks so much. I’ll be back.
🙂 Thank you, Ricki Lee!
You are most certainly welcome.
Nice to meet you! Peace and luvz, UT
Most sincerely – my heart goes out to all the parents
who lost their child on this day of our Lord Jesus Christ
December 14, 2012. God bless you and your families ~
Your faith may be tried. Hold on to it!
Your doubts will arise, but so did our Savior!
Now is the time to trust, and in Time, you will know.
Sending peace, luvz, and hugz, Uncle Tree
Thanks for stopping by and liking my posts. Lots of good in your poems.
You’re welcome, and thank you very much!
HaPpY HoLiDaYs! 🙂 Uncle Tree
Love this!! I need to post this to my Christian poetry group “Agalliao” if you don’t mind?
I’d be honored. Yes, you may share this, Aaron.
Thank you! Peace and luvz, Keith
Reblogged this on Uncle Tree's House and commented:
With this poem, I hope for the best. I believe we must. Then let them rest in peace and trust the good Lord’s just got the greatest hands to hold and caress. Daily the numbers grow and leave a solemn sadness.
May God’s hands sweep up all the grief left behind,
so these parents might know – the cure for their sorrows
lies in the realization that the hold of love is holding them, too.
Beautiful thoughts UT especially during this trying time for all the families in OK and families everywhere in the World who have lost a prescious child
God Bless
It is not within our human comprehension to lose a child. Love to all those suffering the loss of such precious innocence. Beautifully spoken, Uncle Tree
Reblogged this on Stumbling into Grace and commented:
Keep the families in prayer – All the families who have lost children
My dad and I agree with your statement, Niamh.
I’m glad you thought this poem worthy of a comment.
Thanks, and peace be with you today. Sincerely, Keith
Thanks for the reblog, Susie, and yes, I will. Amen to that.
Reblogged this on JUSTICE FOR RAYMOND.
Thank you, Ma’am! God bless you, your son, and your work!
Peace and luvz, Uncle Tree 🙂 (Keith Alan Watson)
There is nothing harder than losing a child. My precious daughter died on the 18th of January 2013. It is so hard. I miss her so much!!!
I’m so sorry to hear that, Tersia. It’s beyond sad. A tragedy like this must really ‘try’ a parents faith in a good, benevolent, and loving God. But I do believe He’s BIG enough to take the blame, and righteously so. Still, we must forgive Him as He forgives us. That may be the most important part of my daily prayer.
“When God Takes A Child” was not written by a father who knows this pain (and I do thank God for that). But I mean what I said, and my words come from a man of faith. I have to believe. Indeed, I must believe, for my soul and my conscience give me no other choice in the matter. Love matters. Bless you and yours! /\ Keith
A profound post on a subject that I wouldn’t know where to begin writing about.
Glad you thought this one worthy enough to comment on.
Thank you, Allan! God bless us all.
Beautiful and very moving! And thank you for liking my poem. 🙂
Beautiful and heart breaking… I wish I knew the answer….
Glad you think so, Grace 🙂 and you’re welcome.
The answer lies in your name, Christina.
Our symbol of wholeness, which includes this, too.
Thank you for visiting. Have a cheerful Sunday. 🙂 Peace, Keith
One of the comforts I find after my 8 year old daughter passed to the next life is know that she is now whole and can walk and talk when she couldn’t in this life. I know I will be with her again some day. This poem is lovely. God bless!
Thank you, Maggie. I’m thankful to know that you know,
and that you have grown past a mere belief in eternal life.
The Truth sets us free ~ I pray you have a Happy Thanksgiving!
I don’t know that I’ve ever heard truth expressed so eloquently and simply. Thanks for the like on my blog. But thanks even more for what you’re doing here.
What a kind thing to say, Dayle. Thank you for making my day! 🙂
I try to serve. This is my way
of giving back to those, I pray,
who need their faith strengthened with hope
and love that will always stay with them.
Peace and luvz, Keith Alan Watson
🙂
Thanks for visiting, Rosalie! 🙂 Bless you ~
I have deep compassion for you Uncle Tree, with having lost my own babies I understand your pain, God understands too and grieves with you but He is not the Author of sickness, suffering and death, all He made was very good including the Sperm and the Uterus. Satan has and also through Mankind, polluted our world not God.
Our Abba Father knows our babies and the days of their lives both in the uterus and when they are born and He does not cut those days short or end their lives deliberately and we rejoice they will only know His Love, Joy and Peace now and will never suffer as you shared in your Poem. All Good things come from God, He does not willingly afflict us or our babies and little ones.
Lamentations 3: 33 For God doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
The poem below is about my own babies that died, I have no doubts now that God will use all we have encountered in life for good even if we are not aware always how He does, until we go to Heaven. My Babies have left their footprints in my heart and they can never be erased.
My Babies- http://freedomborn.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/jesus-holds-my-babies/
Christian Love from both of us – Anne.
Sorry to hear of your loss, Anne. God bless you and your husband.
Peace and hugz, Keith
Thank you for the Like on my blog Uncle Tree. You have a very nice blog yourself.
Thank you, Sir Livingstone! 🙂
Thank you for stopping by and liking my blog. Beautiful blog and sentiments that are too hard to comprehend. Children are so precious, truly a gift from God.
Thank you for the visit and your comment, Janice!
Children are precious, I agree. A most difficult test –
perhaps, the most trying of all for a parent of faith,
so I seek to understand – without fail or fault. Peace✟
Our family too had a great loss with the death of my brother’s 19 year old son in Nov 2012. Jason. His parents will never be the same, only God’s love, grace and strength keep them getting out of bed everyday. So too with the rest of the family. We miss him so much.
thank you for your compassion.
Sorry to hear that, Lynette. In order to share your grief,
I must attempt to relieve some of your burden. This poem was,
and is, my meager effort intended to accomplish the goal
of keeping the faith whilst going through hell.
I much appreciate your visit and comment. Thank you! God bless.
Uncle Tree, a few minutes before 2014, I was flicking through the images I’d taken this past year, 2013. Curing a long story short, one of my imagers ( of Southwell Cathedral in England) and the story that goes with that image, ends up at John 3:16!!
And a few minutes after entering into 2014, I clicked on you ( having kindly liked my RIP) and I landed on ” when God Takes a child” which also ends at John 3:16 !!! A coincidence !!? I think not.
I was talking to a beloved in VA , USA, about the same Catherdral image also about the same time tonight…
To me, the sign is the affirmation of both a Loved one whom we lost and a Beloved to whom I was talking to for whom I had taken the picture !!
Blessings for 2014
Life is strange, my friend.
Accidents are a thing of the past. 😉
Glad to have made your acquaintance!
Best wishes to you in all ways for all your days! Peace and luvz, Keith
And Likewise Keith….. Johnny
I have another take on this. I was in a car accident when Caleb was 3 months old. I can imagine God holding him in his hands while our car rolled over and over. He then gently layed him down on the beside his car seat after the turmoil ended. He was strapped in initially but landed resting comfortably on the back seat with no glass or cuts or blood anywhere on him. Am I doing everything God has intended so that Caleb can fufill his will for his life?
We are all doing our best with what we have to work with, Jenn,
and I don’t believe we are all asked to be super-duper
over-achievers who are asked to lead all others to the
glorious and abundant life promised in the Good Book.
Family comes first. Your life and your experiences prove that.
Keep your love where it works most effectively.
Only an Act Of God could have put a perfectly strong
sphere of love and protection around your child during those
certainly frightening moments. But only the person you see
in the mirror can tell you if you are doing enough. My hunch says,
“You are.” I pray God continues to bless Caleb. Peace, Keith
I hope I did not come across callous. I would be in a different place as we all would if that had not been my outcome. Thanks as always for your kind words.
Not at all, good lady. Our experiences tell the tales. 🙂
I’ve had my gracious share. That’s why I’m here!
The Tree Of Knowledge is my Father.
The Tree Of Life – my Mother.
The Word – my Brother
You – my Friend
They are Us
Peace &
Luvz
UT
✟
Thanks for sharing these words of encouragement – and thanks for liking the post, “A New Beginning”, at my blog, “Learning From God’s Word. God bless you and make you a blessing to many.
Thank you, Charlie! Keep up the good works ↑
Dear Uncle Tree, Thank you for sharing this precious story.
It’s very moving. Thank you also for visiting my blog, celebrating Dame Elisabeth’s anniversary.
Thank you kindly, Barbara! 🙂 And, you are welcome!
A beautiful post you have put together here. It is full of hope, encouragement and faith. Thank you for sharing it with us.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Thank you much, Francine! God bless you and your works!
I was adopted to take the place of a child who died. I wish my mother’s could have read your beautiful poem.
What a sweet thing to say! Thank you kindly, Sheila!
Reblogged this on The Talking Trees Gallery.
Very beautiful
Glad you liked this, Jennifer. Thank you!
This is so beautifully written. I have no idea why, but I’m tearing up whilst reading this. I love it a lot!!! It definitely reached deep into my soul. Sending you much blessings ❤
Gracious be ~ Thank you, Grace!
Tears are trophies for me. I am a sap, ya know?
The blessings are heartfelt. Posted May 15, 2011, I still
get views everyday from hurting parents, and those who
wish to share this poem with loved ones and friends.
May the good Lord continue to bless you and your work. Peace, Keith
You’re most welcome! 🙂
Yes, I shall pray for all those who have suffered tonight. Love & light to you! Have a great day/evening ahead wherever you are!! 🙂 ❤
What a heart rending poem Keith. Blessing and love to you!
Thank you for reading so many of my posts today!
It is a thrill to know you liked them.
Barbara in Australia
Thank you, Barbara! You’re always welcome. Peace, Keith
The essence of your poem is breathtaking!
Thank you for sharing this with the world! ~ xoxo
Thank you kindly, ma’am! I welcome the world to this one.
Peace to you today ~ Uncle Tree
This is a very touching poem.
Also, very beautiful photographs to compliment your lovely poem.
Thank you, Alisha! Glad to hear this moved you.
Yes Sir Keith, it really did. Also You are so welcome 🙂
Hello, Fellow Blogger, You Have Been Awarded, The Angel Award.
How nice of you to mention me, Alisha. Thank you kindly!
And do, please, pardon me for passing over the award. Okay?
Have a great day! 🙂 Uncle Tree
Sure Thing Keith!!! You are so welcome. …It’s no problem at all!! Have a great day too!! 🙂
This is so so so beautiful.
Nice of you to say so, Scott. Thank you!
I can’t imagine such a pain. Thank you for sharing my friend.
Oh for the tears. OH God! For the tears. I too have lost not one but 3 children, yes all in utero, yet still a child nontheless. The tears are pouring down my face and if it were not my FAITH I would have followed to be with my children. Thank you for sharing this, Keith. May God bless you for bearing yourself open for all the world to see. May these words bring Peace to you. And may all of us you have suffered such a loss, be joined with our BeLoved children again very soon. Love, Amy
Keith, you caught me by surprise. I actually doubled over in such torment and the tears unrelentlessly poured. I had to forcibly bring myself back, for to go that “place” I won’t survive it. I don’t speak of the losses I have endured, for in doing so, would destroy me. Please forgive me for the tears. I am grabbing my headphones and camera and going for a walk to get recentered. xx Amy
Thanks for sharing this moment with me, Ajua.
Dear Amy, I am so sorry to hear of your losses.
I’m sorry I made your physical self relive the pain again.
I’m sorry I caught you off guard; you’re a new friend. I feel bad.
But tears help, and they will continue to help us – long as we live.
To write this, I had to gather together an ark-full of faith –
that I could do this, and do it right, if I wrote from heart and soul.
It has been my experience, so I can believe AND know!
I forgive you; God forgives you; Jesus loves you, girl.
You ARE forgiven. You SHALL see them one fine day.
You WILL learn to forgive yourself – then LOVE may rule your life.
All our lives! Peace & Love & Joy in and with us – together forever.
God bless you and yours today ~ Hugz, Keith
Oh, Keith, you misunderstand. I couldn’t carry full term with any of my pregnancies. The worst part of it all I never named my children, and I never held them either. You are also correct in the forgiveness arena, for I have blamed myself for a long time for not able to carry full term. Love does rule my life now, it did not back then. Jesus is my Teacher, my Mentor, my Friend, my Everything. I sit at His feet for I adore Him. Keith, He has taught me everything I know today and it is to Him who I credit with many of the words found at Petals. I call it the Higher Source that flows through me, for I have so many different cultures following me and I have come to learn how to speak in a way that all faiths and all cultures understand. Bless you for caring for me. Bless you from my Heart. (((HUGS))) Amy
Bravo friend , sapientia est in mente,
Thank you, Em! Glad you liked. Many blessings coming your way ~
Not sure how or why I missed this one, Keith. So many amazing responses as well, not to mention your responses to the responses… you amaze, my friend, you amaze!
I figured you’d find this sooner or later, my friend.
Now is always a good time, too. Thank you – kindly!
Although I don’t believe God “takes” children (I believe he receives them) this is a beautiful poem and picture. Thank you. And I’ll have to check out your other post with a reference to William Blake. He’s quite a character 8^).
Blake can be long-winded, huh? For his day, I think he was “brave”.
Glad you thought this worthy of a comment. Thank you!
Oh, absolutely brave. One of the principal texts for a poetry class I took was his “Songs of Innocence and Experience” (or the other way ’round, I don’t remember). Very interesting, the words, the thoughts behind them, and his illustrations.
And one of my all-time favorite expressions – “mind-forged manacles”. I think I quoted it in a poem the other day.
Very touching poem and the comments that follow. It’s déjà vu for me because I wrote a poem with the same image for my friend who lost her child tragically. I have attached it below (again it made me cry)…
Why Lord, this gift
So precious, in my care
Treasured and loved
Why Lord, so brief
My child, my joy
My hopes, my dreams
Why Lord, taken, gone
Such grief, sorrow, pain
My suffering, my burden
I bring to you Lord
In your hands
I give
My child, my faith, my soul
Comfort my tortured spirit
Restore my faith, I pray
In your hands Lord, I give myself too
You spoke it rightly, young lady.
Tears ~ of joy and sorrow and everything in between;
nothing looks nor feels more human than to have and see
divinity manifested in liquid gold on both sides of our face.
God bless you and yours, Keith
I doubt whether the child will remember the parent if the parent did not make it to heaven.
Thank you for sharing this poem. Even God grieves when His Child has to go. For us humans it is devastating. Only our faith can help us carry on until we meet again, and we will meet again. Love is a bond reaching through all the eternity. We will never lose each other when there is love.
You’re welcome, Inese. I agree. God bless. /\
Reblogged this on woodys girl and commented:
Such wonderful words that brought tears to my eyes and comfort to my heart. Thank you x
Thank you for showing me such a beautiful poem. I will be following you from now on. Regards x
I’m here to share, my friend, and I appreciate you doing the same.
Thank you for your kindness! To serve, I must show.
God bless you, and your family’s future, too. Peace and luvz, Keith
I found this today, coincidentally on the birthday of the son who got to heaven before we did. Thank you so much for putting into words what I never could
God bless you, especially today, but all your tomorrows as well. ♥
Thank you for assuring me that this post continues to touch hearts.
It also stands behind the reason why — I must keep this blog alive.
How beautiful to have found this today. My younger son would have been 21 this year .. and I do feel he is waiting patiently for me. Thank you.
Sorry to hear you and yours had to endure such a terrible event.
But good to hear you’ve kept the faith throughout the years, Lorri.
And, you are most certainly welcome. This is how I serve. Luvz, Keith
Thank you, Caro. ❤ And God bless you.
Saw your title for this poem some time ago—took me a long time just to work up the courage to read your words on this topic. So beautifully and sensitively expressed.
Thank you, George.This post has seen it’s share of views over the years,
and I hope it will still be available to all in another thousand. Bless you.
Beautiful…somber and I admire the courage to write it, but mostly the words themselves. An incredible set of emotions and I think parents around the world will read this with tears of joy/thanks in their eyes.
Thank you ~
God bless you, Randall, and thank you very much!
This single post is reason enough to keep UT’s house warm and viable.
A poet may write thousands of poems in their lifetime,
and they are truly fortunate if one becomes long-lasting
and historical. If this be my piece, then I’ll rest in peace one day,
whilst pulling up roots and flying to that heavenly abode. 🙂 Uncle Tree
You’ve done that and more UT ~ an incredible piece.
A smile and a tear… yet, we know God loves us as he loved His only begotten Son!!
Amen to that! 🙂 Thank you, aj!
“For the instant
Time ceases
God begins”
Words to ease the weary soul.
Always good to ease weary souls with a simple word or two…
God bless you, Loria. Peace and luvz, Uncle Tree
What a great phrase and eas the pain of losing a son or a child.
Happy 2016 to you and your family, Uncle Tree.
Thank you, Cattan. I pray you and yours have a blessed new year.
Pingback: When God Takes A Child | Uncle Tree’s House | Re-theologizing
Thank you for sharing the love, Andrew!
I still believe this to be the most powerful poem you’ve written ~ one of the best I’ve ever read UT, thanks for the re-visit today.
Thanks, bro. Your comment came at a crucial time.
No one has ever said that about one of my “poems”.
God bless you! May peace and luvz reign. Sincerely, UT
🙂 Amazing – best to you.
a lovely poem. My brother died young of cancer and these things always make me feel closer to my mother thanks for sharing
Yes. Plus it may really be true that only the good die young.
I not sure that “God takes a child.”
Maybe he just receives them.
Maybe they are better off being not here, in this messy world.
This idea interested my mother in law whose son died at three of a neuroblastoma.
She said, ” I couldn’t comfort him.”
God can though, in ways we only pretend to know.
Thank you for your input, Cindy. God bless you and yours.
Thanks for visiting my website! It’s always great to connect with other believers! I love this image…I shared it with my daughter who just had a miscarriage. Such great imagery and what hope for eternity! Thanks for what you do…keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing more of your work! -Janelle Brian
Thank you, Janelle! Glad to have touched your heart with this one, and your daughter, too. Sorry to hear about your loss. God bless you.
That was beautiful Keith. It is sad to lose a child, and it doesn’t matter their age – baby, child or adult. It is a tragic loss nevertheless. This was beautifully written. I’ve known several people who lost their children – that loss is immeasurable. One of the bloggers I follow lost her son to testicular cancer three years ago. Every day she writes a poem to him.
Thank you, Linda. This post is by far my most viewed.
Search Engines stumbled upon it, and I continue to get views — 8006 to date.
Many, upon many poets are remembered by just one poem. Lucky are they.
This one may well be mine, but blog posts rarely go “viral”, like videos do on YouTube.
I had a sad, but hopeful, weekend. The pics I took were downloaded and put on Facebook, and well-received by my nephew’s friends and our family members.
For the sake of posterity, and also for safe-keeping, I’m leaning toward the act of putting some of them here in my tree house. To me, it seems to be the right thing to do.
That is a lot of views Uncle Tree and will you use that poem in the tribute or photos you will place on your blog in memory of your nephew?
I am sure it was a sad weekend – sad when you think your last get together was also for a funeral.
Did you see your mom while you were there or decided that one other sad thing to add to the visit would be too much?
I would do a special tribute if I were you – it seems like a perfect thing to do to create a memory to cherish now and down the road.