Three years ago...
Three years ago today, our lives were changed in some very painful ways. I don't know if we'll ever be the same. Three years ago today, while on a coast to coast bike trip, my father-in-law, Lyle Rosser, and his long-time riding buddy Ray Moore were killed by a drunk driver. We were on a road trip, oblivious to what had happened, until a fateful cell phone call the next morning...and so began the longest three years of our lives.
Although we cannot help but celebrate their homegoing, we miss the presence of these men immensely, and that has not diminished with time. We miss their being around to share in our children's accomplishments. We miss their wisdom and understanding. We miss their leadership and kindness. We miss their faithfulness. My wife misses her Dad. My kids miss Grandpa Lyle. I miss including them in the adventures we had anticipated together. We cannot pass a bicyclist without remembering them...
We have been through two and a half years of waiting on court dates, and are now experiencing the appeals process. The driver who killed them sits behind bars for the next 18 or so years, hopefully becoming a changed and better person than he was. We pray his appeals (which are scheduled to be heard Aug. 14) are denied and justice continues to be served.
We have seen the good and the bad side of people. We have learned about MADD. We have been loved and support by our "Home Care" Bible Study group, our church, our family, and our many friends. We have seen the good and bad side of ourselves, which was perhaps scariest of all.
We are left with memories, a sign by the side of Highway 62 near Yucca Valley, and a few deep lessons I wish we never had to learn. And yet...we have had to learn them, so we hope and praywe can make them useful to others as time marches on.
The lessons we have learned are this...seize the day, and never lose hope, even though many days are darker than we ever imagined they could be. Forgiveness, Grace and Mercy are gifts we should always strive to offer, because they ahve been offered to us. Our days on this earth with each other, and to serve the Lord and our fellow man, are numbered. We want to make every day count...
Three years ago today, we were younger, ( it feels like decades younger) and much less aware of how much we could depend on God. Three years ago today, I thought the worst problem I had to face was figuring out where to gas up next or whether or not to pass that slow truck in front of me. Or what to do to keep the kids from arguing in the back seat. Boy was I wrong!
To our friends, family, and other readers...Thank you again for your support, kindness, thoughts and prayers. Some days that is all that gets us through.
Although we cannot help but celebrate their homegoing, we miss the presence of these men immensely, and that has not diminished with time. We miss their being around to share in our children's accomplishments. We miss their wisdom and understanding. We miss their leadership and kindness. We miss their faithfulness. My wife misses her Dad. My kids miss Grandpa Lyle. I miss including them in the adventures we had anticipated together. We cannot pass a bicyclist without remembering them...
We have been through two and a half years of waiting on court dates, and are now experiencing the appeals process. The driver who killed them sits behind bars for the next 18 or so years, hopefully becoming a changed and better person than he was. We pray his appeals (which are scheduled to be heard Aug. 14) are denied and justice continues to be served.
We have seen the good and the bad side of people. We have learned about MADD. We have been loved and support by our "Home Care" Bible Study group, our church, our family, and our many friends. We have seen the good and bad side of ourselves, which was perhaps scariest of all.
We are left with memories, a sign by the side of Highway 62 near Yucca Valley, and a few deep lessons I wish we never had to learn. And yet...we have had to learn them, so we hope and praywe can make them useful to others as time marches on.
The lessons we have learned are this...seize the day, and never lose hope, even though many days are darker than we ever imagined they could be. Forgiveness, Grace and Mercy are gifts we should always strive to offer, because they ahve been offered to us. Our days on this earth with each other, and to serve the Lord and our fellow man, are numbered. We want to make every day count...
Three years ago today, we were younger, ( it feels like decades younger) and much less aware of how much we could depend on God. Three years ago today, I thought the worst problem I had to face was figuring out where to gas up next or whether or not to pass that slow truck in front of me. Or what to do to keep the kids from arguing in the back seat. Boy was I wrong!
To our friends, family, and other readers...Thank you again for your support, kindness, thoughts and prayers. Some days that is all that gets us through.
posted by Eickhaus | 8:57 AM
1 Comments:
We love you guys and are praying for you!! We miss you!!
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