8 Year Anniversary - A Note From Mom

By Kristin Hagen

Today I remember a little boy that used to wake me up every morning and say, "Mama? Morning hugs?" Later in the day it would be, "Mama? Afternoon hugs?" And, you guessed it, before bed, "Mama? Evening hugs?" I miss the sweet little voice, and the sweet little hugs.

I was brought to tears of joy, though, this morning when I read Luke 7:13,15, (when Jesus sees a mother who had just lost her son) When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, "Don't cry" ... (He raises the son from the dead) and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

I thought also about Philemon 15, "Perhaps the reason you were separated from him for a little while was that you might have him back for good."

I felt like Jesus was telling me that He, personally, will give Marshall back to me when I get to heaven.

"Mama? Eternal hugs?"

8 Year Anniversary - A Note From Marla

By Marla, Marshall's cousin

My reaction to Marshall's death

Hi Uncle Mark and Aunt Kristy,

When I saw you last I told you about the Christmas letter I wrote to family and friends in light of Marshall having been taken to heaven unexpectedly.  I wasn't able to find the exact letter I sent. However, I based the letter off of a journal entry I wrote on 11–24-2006. I think the letter kind of resembled the following. Bear with me, I'm not a great writer, but I wrote from my heart.

"I go through most days out of the year not even thinking about death. It is an uncomfortable topic, no matter what you believe of the afterlife. Two days ago a 20-year-old cousin of mine died in a car accident.

I grieve for the loss of life, the sudden loss of life. The unexpectedness of it. No one saw it coming. No chance for goodbyes (as many times is the case).

For the immediate family, the people who want to see their loved one's face in the morning, I grieve. Their lives have changed and there is an emptiness where there used to be a person.

This morning I woke up, and as I oriented myself to what day of the week it is and the plans I have for the day, I reminded myself that my cousin passed away two days ago and that funeral plans are pending. When the funeral is over and the body of my cousin is in the ground the much anticipated closure will occur (or began to occur) for Marshall's family.

But that's not the end of the story! As I cry tears of sorrow, of empathy mostly for his family, Marshall is already in heaven. There's no waiting period! He's already there! Surely we are on earth here crying for ourselves and our own mortality, because he is already there.

I have a hope. Not everyone has this hope. The hope I have is that what the Bible says is true. And if it is true, the God loves us so much that He gave us His Son, Jesus, and anyone who chooses to believe in Him will not die, but will live forever.

When tragedy hits my life, and I feel like I can hardly stand, I want my faith, my hope, to be the crutches I support myself with."

Every year just before Thanksgiving I remember Marshall and his life and death. And I remind myself that life is a vapor. I want to keep the right perspective on life.

Love from Marla