Tonight I was going to share with you the story of how my sweet husband helped me overcome my fears so I could really enjoy the Film Maker's Academy, but there's another story that I can't get out of my mind.
At the film festival this afternoon, the girls and I went to see a super-cute documentary about Monarch butterflies. Since Felicity wants to be a "butterfly trainer" when she grows up, I thought it might be helpful. It was great! The only problem was that Brigitta had forgotten to bring her pink blanket, it was nap time, and Daddy was upstairs watching a guy film. After crying repeated for her lovey, she finally fretted herself to sleep... about 30 seconds before the credits rolled! (This is not an exaggeration!)
Usually, after one movie ends, the theater attendant gives the movie makers an opportunity to speak and take questions from the audience, and I was excited about meeting the family that made the film. But time was short so the next one started playing almost immediately. I didn't know what to do. Thom was expecting us to meet him at the hotel, but the girls were getting wrapped up in the new story. I had a sleeping 3-year-old and a cumbersome carry-on bag. There was no way we were getting out of the theater gracefully! Especially from the front row. Well, I figured I'd just let the girls watch a few minutes of the movie and then leave when they got bored. What I didn't expect is that I would literally be riveted to my seat...
The story playing was a 40 minute documentary of the Jasper family's experience with a tragedy that none of us wants to even imagine, the death of a precious child. Drawing on the Scriptures, it examines God's sovereignty and our responsibility, while pointing to the grace and mercy of a loving Father. I wept uncontrollably. When Cooper's tombstone was shown, I noticed instantly that he shared a birthday with our Brigitta-- today he would have been 8 years old. As if I wasn't already crying enough, I could not restrain the sobs, knowing that this precious family was grieving and missing a piece of themselves today.
Walking out of the theater, the last thing I expected was to come face to face with the Jasper family and to have them hand me a free copy of their DVD. I was speechless with grief. Yet there they were, testifying to God's love and mercy. As though I had known her all my life, I embraced Melanie Jasper and wept. Then I promised her that we would pray for their family every year on this date. When we celebrate the birth of our little one, we will remember the one that they lost and pray that his story "Flame On" will be an inspiration and encouragement to many.
At the film festival this afternoon, the girls and I went to see a super-cute documentary about Monarch butterflies. Since Felicity wants to be a "butterfly trainer" when she grows up, I thought it might be helpful. It was great! The only problem was that Brigitta had forgotten to bring her pink blanket, it was nap time, and Daddy was upstairs watching a guy film. After crying repeated for her lovey, she finally fretted herself to sleep... about 30 seconds before the credits rolled! (This is not an exaggeration!)
Usually, after one movie ends, the theater attendant gives the movie makers an opportunity to speak and take questions from the audience, and I was excited about meeting the family that made the film. But time was short so the next one started playing almost immediately. I didn't know what to do. Thom was expecting us to meet him at the hotel, but the girls were getting wrapped up in the new story. I had a sleeping 3-year-old and a cumbersome carry-on bag. There was no way we were getting out of the theater gracefully! Especially from the front row. Well, I figured I'd just let the girls watch a few minutes of the movie and then leave when they got bored. What I didn't expect is that I would literally be riveted to my seat...
The story playing was a 40 minute documentary of the Jasper family's experience with a tragedy that none of us wants to even imagine, the death of a precious child. Drawing on the Scriptures, it examines God's sovereignty and our responsibility, while pointing to the grace and mercy of a loving Father. I wept uncontrollably. When Cooper's tombstone was shown, I noticed instantly that he shared a birthday with our Brigitta-- today he would have been 8 years old. As if I wasn't already crying enough, I could not restrain the sobs, knowing that this precious family was grieving and missing a piece of themselves today.
Walking out of the theater, the last thing I expected was to come face to face with the Jasper family and to have them hand me a free copy of their DVD. I was speechless with grief. Yet there they were, testifying to God's love and mercy. As though I had known her all my life, I embraced Melanie Jasper and wept. Then I promised her that we would pray for their family every year on this date. When we celebrate the birth of our little one, we will remember the one that they lost and pray that his story "Flame On" will be an inspiration and encouragement to many.
"There are no words to describe how we hurt. But God's sovereignty and His character do not change. He is still a good God. We knew that intellectually, and now we know it experimentally." ~J.J. Jasper
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| Cooper and his Daddy |
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