My chest felt heavy this morning as I heard the sirens and read the descriptionon the Dispatch Page: Farming/Industrial Accident. I shuddered at the thought of another gruesome account. Then a little while later, the phone rang, and Joel shared the sorrowful news. While loading manure at a nearby farm, our neighbor, Jason Martin, was tragically killed. Walter and Joel had actually seen Jason in his tractor only minutes before the accident.
Jason, a dairy farmer who did custom field work, was the father of around 6 children, the oldest having recently married and the youngest being around 2 yrs old.
Joel mentioned that one time he wondered what he'd do if his dad would die early, and decided that Jason Martin would be able to help him.
I tried to explain the news to the boys who aren't really able to grasp the concept of death, telling them that they would never see Jason Martin again because he went to heaven to be with Jesus. "Now his children don't have a daddy", I said. (Titus was once inside the Martin house and played with the children, so he he seemed to connect with that). At lunchtime, Titus prayed. "Pray for Jason"...he stopped and stuttered a few times not knowing what to say. And then (out of the mouth of babes), he said, "Help Jason Martin's children to be happy without a daddy."
Jason Martin will definitely be missed by many people! It's difficult to understand why, but we trust God to do what He knows is best.
Randy & I were talking about this after reading your sil Karen's update on facebook. Our hearts ache for ya'll...the family and friends who will have an empty ache for days and years to come. Our God is Sovereign, and we're praying He gives strength, comfort and grace. Hugs to you!
ReplyDelete~eunice