Greenbrier
04-11-2009, 07:03 PM
Three weeks ago I went to Demos (my favorite local restaurant) to pick up a take out order. As is typical on a Saturday night, the waiting area was crowded and there were a significant number of children. One young couple was there who had a beautiful infant who was looking around excitedly at everyone and everything. I smiled at the baby in her tiny white cotton and blue flowered outfit and asked the Father, 'How old?' 'Six weeks' the proud father replied. I commented that she looked like she was having a good time and the mother said that she seemed excited to see new faces since she had mostly only seen their own and that this was her first time out. Indeed, the infant’s eyes were dancing all around the room as she watched the people come and go. I asked, 'What’s her name?' – 'Olivia,' the mother replied smiling. 'She’s beautiful,' I told her.
I picked up my order and left and waived at the precious little baby in her baby seat and said 'It was very nice to meet you, Olivia.' They were such a picture of joy. The face of that little child left me with a pang since I have no children of my own. I thought about this world and the considerable troubles that were in it and thought about what kind of world this little child would grow up in. I spoke of the little family in my prayers. I commented to folks around the lunch table later the next week about seeing the heartwarming scene and I continued to think of that little family from time to time over the last three weeks.
On Good Friday my little city of Murfreesboro was struck by a number of tornados that killed 2 people and injured scores. My house and neighborhood were spared as one of the twisters passed a couple of miles to the south and the another larger one passed to the north. I soon learned that of the two people who were killed were a mother and her nine- week old infant named Olivia! I watched the newscoverage and they eventually showed the wedding photo of the woman who had been killed – it was that same couple I had met only briefly in the waiting area of the restaurant three weeks earlier that had made such an impression on me. The husband survived but is in critical condition at a local hospital.
Mom, infant killed in tornado | www.dnj.com | The Daily News Journal
A remnant of the family was found today near the scene under some rubble - the mother’s (Kori’s) bible. Please pray for the Bryant family and especially for John as he struggles to overcome his injuries. I don’t know them personally and except for that chance meeting a few weeks ago they would have been strangers to me. But I was so struck by that little family that I feel a special burden for them. I am comforted to think that the Kori and Olivia are with the Lord. I imagine that little one is delighting the saints as her little eyes dart from face to face in heaven as her mother smiles.
Please pray for the people of Murfreesboro Tennessee and especially the Bryant family.
I picked up my order and left and waived at the precious little baby in her baby seat and said 'It was very nice to meet you, Olivia.' They were such a picture of joy. The face of that little child left me with a pang since I have no children of my own. I thought about this world and the considerable troubles that were in it and thought about what kind of world this little child would grow up in. I spoke of the little family in my prayers. I commented to folks around the lunch table later the next week about seeing the heartwarming scene and I continued to think of that little family from time to time over the last three weeks.
On Good Friday my little city of Murfreesboro was struck by a number of tornados that killed 2 people and injured scores. My house and neighborhood were spared as one of the twisters passed a couple of miles to the south and the another larger one passed to the north. I soon learned that of the two people who were killed were a mother and her nine- week old infant named Olivia! I watched the newscoverage and they eventually showed the wedding photo of the woman who had been killed – it was that same couple I had met only briefly in the waiting area of the restaurant three weeks earlier that had made such an impression on me. The husband survived but is in critical condition at a local hospital.
Mom, infant killed in tornado | www.dnj.com | The Daily News Journal
A remnant of the family was found today near the scene under some rubble - the mother’s (Kori’s) bible. Please pray for the Bryant family and especially for John as he struggles to overcome his injuries. I don’t know them personally and except for that chance meeting a few weeks ago they would have been strangers to me. But I was so struck by that little family that I feel a special burden for them. I am comforted to think that the Kori and Olivia are with the Lord. I imagine that little one is delighting the saints as her little eyes dart from face to face in heaven as her mother smiles.
Please pray for the people of Murfreesboro Tennessee and especially the Bryant family.