In a blink of an eye

This has been a tough week on several fronts. For those who might think that the votes going on in Virginia are easy and simple (and for some, that may be true), for many of us it's one of the saddest things we've ever done. I know that's true for me. I thought I had wept through all the tears, only to find a few more.

And then last Friday morning came word that one of my colleagues at the firm, one of the best, had been in the car that crashed on Rock Creek Parkway, causing the shutdown of that main thoroughfare in the City of Washington through the entire rush hour of Friday morning. Both Tanya and her husband were killed, leaving a five year old son (and star of the firm's child care center) and a baby that will be a year old this Saturday.

I work in one of those global firms in DC - you know the film and TV stereotyped DC Firm. But it hasn't seemed like that sort of place this week, where the grieving has been so deep you can feel it the moment you walk into the building. I almost feel like we should be hanging black drapes out of the windows, it's been so sad. The loss is great.

Tanya was one of the best, just the best - cheerful, always remained cool under fire with a great sense of humor and a love for life. My last memories of her are at a party on Thursday night where she was dancing and loving life and everyone there. It's so hard to believe that a life lived so fully could be gone so swiftly.

This song came to my mind today as I talked with fellow staff members and we reminisced about Tanya, trying to find meaning in it all. Maybe one day that will come - it's just so heartbreaking to see her children orphaned in an instant - perhaps we may see how good could come from something so devastating and unfair. Hope is not unreachable. But this song came to mind and I listened to it on the iPod as I walked over to Starbucks and the words had new meaning. If you've downloaded Rhapsody for free, you can click on the headline above and hear it. The lyrics are below. They are my hope and my prayer for Tanya and for all who knew her.

But it is also for all who have known loss this week, whatever that loss may be. Fall on Jesus.

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

By Chris Rice