And another...

Today Ash Wednesday...I never really knew of Ash Wednesday until 5 years ago...though Ash Wednesday does not come now that I don't stop and think of Jay...I always think anyone reading this knows immediately who Jay is.    Jay Sheridan...loving referred to as my favorite son-in-law...a person whose life and death touched many...And one would like to think of Jay's loss of his life in the line of duty...doing the job he loved...was an unusual occurrence...though just today officer's killed in the line of duty...a few days ago...a Colorado officer had his life taken...and I look up ashes in the Bible...and I find this verse...a prayer for those who mourn...

To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,

Isaiah 61:3

My heart goes out to those who have lost...as I know the depth of pain of losing those we love...and it has seemed part of my story...to keep Jay's memory with us...today as I headed from the north to home...I stopped by the cemetery to drop off some flowers and a LOVE balloon...and after my walking through the snow...and I think how Jay would be laughing at me...how a siren goes off as a Limon police car drives by as I am out there as if to say I share with you...and as I look back when getting ready to leave...I snapped a pic on my phone...and this verse just seemed to go with it...with the day...

And I talk to Izzy before I got there and she talks of preparing her Valentine's for school...she so full of life and love...reflections of her daddy and her mom...and I stop and think how I wish she would have got more time with her dad...but she has no doubt that her daddy loved her...that is a precious gift in and of itself...LOVE...it is an unending gift that seems to transcend and stay with us...


I think of the verse...the foundation of faith...For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life...And I come back to Ash Wednesday the beginning of lent...a time to reflect on the life of Christ...40 days (excluding Sundays) until Easter...I read those who observe lent...use it for reflection...I have seen something on choosing a photo a day to reflect...I may try to do it just to reflect...

I think back of Jay and reflecting on his life as well...stopping to give thanks that I knew him...thanks that he was the daddy of my precious granddaughter...and as I look at another picture taken...I think of something that Heather left..."You have left my life...but you will never leave my heart."

And so on this Ash Wednesday I stop and reflect on my faith...but I also think of one who will also never leave our hearts.   Jay bird...we LOVE you...and thank you for your service!

lya