Last night my niece's fiancé died. He was struck by lightning last Tuesday, and has lingered on life support. Last night his parents had to make the difficult choice to remove life support. They said that for cases of brain damage five days is the crucial time. Either they start to recover at that point, or they don't. He hadn't. (Family rumor is the lightning strike hit him in the forehead, so there wasn't much hope.) We have been praying all week long. I have really learned the meaning of keeping prayer in my heart as I have begged for his life, or if that was not the Lord's will, than his peaceful death and release.

In dying he gave hope to new families. He donated his organs to those who are in need. I am not so sure how I feel about harvesting organs from a person not yet dead, and thus being the cause of death, but it was not my choice to make. Certainly lingering forever in a vegetative state is useless. Death holds no fear for me. Josh was a good man. He was funny, kind, gentle, old fashioned, warm, and hey, he had great taste in women. Lauren is sad. To be a widow before being a wife is a comfortless grief. I am more worried about her pining than grieved over the death of such a good man.

I had to explain death to my daughters this morning. Tatiana didn't quite understand, but Alayna attaches herself to everyone. She has been faithfully praying for him. I told her that bodies are like our spirits clothing, and when we die it is like getting undressed. Our body is left behind, but our spirits are still alive. I have no doubt that Josh will do a great work for the Lord. The sadness is for ourselves because we miss him.