Erin of Grace

“But since you excel in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you- see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”  2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about “The amazing Grace”.  Unfortunately, that same family is now dealing with the unexpected loss of another member of the family, Erin – the daughter of Grace.  Truly classic artists like Grace produce masterpieces, widely recognized as one of a kind creations.  Erin Hughes is one of those masterpieces. 

We have all heard the expression “it’s too good to be true”.  This post may sound like that.  However, the deeper you get into her life the more you realize that her life was anything but too good to be true.  I won’t say she was perfect and she would be the last person you would ever hear claim to be.  However, she was authentic on every topic.  For her, a more accurate phrase would be “It’s good to be true”.

When someone dies people end up sort of having to sift through things.  In this case, some of the things they found verification of who she was.  She journaled.  If she had a conversation with someone, she made a note about it.  If you told her you were worried about it, she worried about it.  If you were praising Jesus for a blessing or for the grace only Jesus offers, she was praising with you.  If you were hoping for something, she hoped for it.  If you had pain, she had pain.  It’s not hyperbole.  She had volumes of journals keeping track of even the shortest of conversations she had with people.  Then she sat down and talked with Jesus about all of it.  Then she did even better.  She would follow up with you.  She was rare indeed.

While I am not sure how easy it would be to look through them, I am convinced that my family was somewhere in her journals, in particular for a conversation I had with her on September 8, 2009.  Her brother Patrick and I used to travel to Colorado Springs for work.  We made that trek every week for around 10 years.  We talked.  We praised.  We encouraged.  We argued.  We loved.  We had some of the best conversations I have ever had on those trips. 

There was one occasion she had stayed at the cabin in Green Mountain Falls and needed a ride back to Hays.  So, she climbed in with us and away we went.  On that particular trip I told them about an experience I had that morning with God.  Many people can feel the clear leading of the almighty.  I have felt that.  But that day it did not sound like a whisper in my heart.  It sounded audible, “Time is short”.

We talked about it for the entirety of the 5 hour drive that night.  What did it mean?  I was of the opinion that Jesus was telling me that in my life, time was short.  I had not spent too much time with her prior to that night and it was a fairly intense conversation.  Most people would have trouble joining.  While I am not sure how easy it was for her, she joined. 

Picture her in the back seat of my car listening.  I know she was praying for words.  Eventually she found some.  She encouraged me to keep praying about it.  She told me she would be praying as well, and I absolutely knew she would.  She also gave me some of the best advice I have ever received.  If that message was truly about me leaving this earth, she made me aware that I had an opportunity.  I would be able to tell everyone in my life everything I wanted or needed to tell them. 

Three days later our daughter Jordyn died in a car accident.  Without the conversation we shared that night I may not have thought to do that.  I may have just worried or dreaded or whatever.  But fortunately, that conversation was a good part of the reason I sat Jordyn down, without telling her why, and told her every single word a father would want his 16-year-old daughter to know.  I remember it down to where my feet were while I talked to her. 

Additionally, I told my wife, Aly, Korbin, friends and family.  I learned that I should make, not wait, for the opportunity to do that more often than when you think you are dying.  Erin reminded me to tell them while I am living.  These posts are not random, rather, they are a continuation of that reminder.  I have grown to love writing to people about themselves.  I wish I had written this one before she left. 

What do you need to tell the people in your life?

What are you waiting for?

Challenge:  Start small, buy a notebook or use a computer or a bulletin board or sticky notes for that matter. You might feel uncomfortable thinking about it at first, but there are people in your life who would cherish hearing your words of love.  Tell them while you - and they -  are living. 

The growth in your faith walk is a process of attempting to live a little more like Jesus did.  That sounds fantastic, but it can also be daunting because it’s Jesus.  But maybe it is easier to emulate a living work of divine art like Erin Hughes.