In Thanksgiving

Today, I went to the Orthodox church of my roots. I had a mass for Kelly-Anne and my parents. Dad had died on Thanksgiving weekend some 17 years ago. The priest mentioned during the service just before his sermon Kelly-Anne's name , then made a comment about this week's news and that I had to face this again. He then spoke about what our faith is about and that we as Christians face sadness and loss.

The truth is that we were never promised that life would be perfect....and who do you know who's life is that way. I surely don't know anybody who has a perfect life. We all have a cross to bear of some sort.

We all have losted loved ones, but how we have faced that lost is probably different. For me, God has sustained me and carried me through the darkest time of my life. Many people have asked me if I ever blamed God for what happened to Kell. My answer has always and will always be no. You see I feel that there are two laws. God's laws and Man's laws. The reason that we have violence in our society is because man decided to be bigger than God and create war, abuse and genocides. These are not God's works.

Marty Cousineau decided on that horrible evening of October 3rd 2004 to take control of Kelly-Anne's life and murder her. That wasn't God 's decision....I believe that God cried when Kelly-Anne was viciously stabbed and lay there dying in her own blood. God's plan for Kelly-Anne was to live a good honest Christian life, but Marty intervened in God's plan.

I felt not alone today during the sermon as I was reminded that I am not the only person on the face of this earth who has lost a child or a loved one. Here in the church sat a father with three infant boys...his baby triplets. The mother of these triplets died suddenly. This father too has a cross to bear. There are so many sad stories out there.

I pray this Thanksgiving Sunday that those who have losted loved ones find the peace that passes all understand and that the courage that we are given through God will enable us to stand strong and face our losses with grace.