For Claire.

Claire was such a sweet little girl. Before she was born she was given the challenge of coming to a body with a less than perfect heart. Claire's short life has been difficult to say the least. Her mom is one of the bravest people I know, as is her dad. Well, last night Claire was called back to heaven. Her short life is over and she has returned to the arms of our Savior. While Claire's loved ones on the other side are rejoicing at the reunion, here it is a sad time. My heart is broken for Chrissy, Brandon, and their family. Life sometimes seems so unfair, and sometimes it's hard to remember that this life is meant to be temporary, and it's meant to be challenging. So we carry on, one day at a time, doing the best we can. And Claire is now free, unburdened by her failing heart, free to run and play and laugh and wait for the day when her family can be together again. I love you, Claire!

"I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: 'There, she is gone!

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: 'There, she is gone!' there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: 'Here she comes!'

And that is dying."    —Henry Van Dyke