One thing that I learned from Lucy's life is to look for the hand of God in everything. The greatest comfort I've ever felt comes in those moments that I am able to see God's influence. After Lucy died I had a neat experience I have felt compelled to share. About a month or so before Lucy died my sister Carlie brought me over a poem about adversity. It was written by Eliza R. Snow and was written for my great-great-great grandmother and namesake Eliza Partridge. It was a beautiful poem. Then 3 days after Lucy passed away someone came across our blog and directed me to a blog of another woman who lost her baby recently. Her most recent post was written the day before Lucy died. It was a story about my great-great-great grandmother and how she lost her baby. It told about how Eliza and her sister Caroline tried to save the baby. My sister Carlie's real name is Caroline. It was shocking to me. I couldn't believe how aware the Lord was of me. I told my sister this story. She wondered if the poem she gave me was about Eliza's child dying. It wasn't. But in the process she learned that Eliza R. Snow wrote Eliza Partridge this poem when her baby died.
"Belov'd Eliza, do not weep"
Belov'd Eliza, do not weep
Your baby sleeps a quiet sleep;
Altho' in dust its body lies
Its spirt soars above the skies.
No more upon your throbbing breast
it lays its little head to rest-
From all the pains of nature freed,
Your fond caress it does not need.
Sweet was its visit but its stay
On earth was short--'twas call'd away
By kindred spirits to fulfil
Its calling and Jehovah's will.
Then soothe your feeling--do not mourn,
Your noble offspring will return,
With all its loveliness again
And with its friends on earth remain.
I can't imagine anything worse than losing a child and yet this is where I find myself. Everyday is hard. I still find myself angry at times. I am still in denial. I still ache for her to be back with us. But I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and the knowledge that he loves his children.
7 comments:
I had a moment of feeling Heavenly Father's love for me, too, this weekend. He may ask terribly hard things of us, but He certainly does offer what comfort we are willing to receive.
How I pray for you to be comforted.
You'd told me this before, but I still cried when I read this. What a very beautiful thing. We all love you, and Heavenly Father loves you. We mourn with you, as does he.
There is nothing worse than laying a child to rest. It's horrible! It's ok to be angry. It's ok to cry it out. It's going to hurt, it's going to keep hurting for a long time. What you've been through is a hard trial for anyone to walk through. And yet, He chose you and Chuck to go through loosing Lucy. He knew you could handle it. That doesn't mean we always handle it gracefully but you are strong enough to handle it and Heavenly Father knows that. I think of your family often. My heart aches for you and all the hard months that lay ahead of you. Through it all, Heavenly Father does love us and will be there for you but you already have that knowledge.
Eliza, thank you for sharing this. Grandpa LOVED Eliza R. Snow's poetry. He gave me a couple of small paperbacks of her poetry that I still have. I weep for the pain you feel, that Chuck feels, that Pam and McKay feel, that Blair and Laurie feel and everyone who is so closely connected feels. I'm grateful that the Savior's atonement can heal all pain in His own way and time. I love you.
Eliza, you are amazing!!
I loved this! Thanks for sharing it.
Such a touching story. It made me cry a little. Thanks for sharing.
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