This has been an eventful year.
Katherine ran recruitment for Panhellenic and made sure the events ran smooth for all involved. She has some of the best people as friends. She been traveling all over the world these last four years and is really enjoying using her organization, leadership and writing skills to move her clients projects forward.
She is a natural leader and team builder and thrives in collaborative setting. I told her all those visits to Haiti, El Salvador and Juarez really get you to think outside the box and collaborate. She loves her church. Every time I talk to Katherine she is leading someone to Christ or discipling someone. We went over for her birthday last year and she had an apartment full of amazing friends who all said she would be missed after graduation.
Katherine's amazing talents from the creator have allowed her to reach many for the kingdom and create disciples. I am truly amazed at her focus and determination coupled with her laid back attitude. I know that being Becca's big sister impacted her and Katherine chose to her better and no bitter.
Katherine is writing a book about how to cling to your faith during a grief journey. The book is centered on Rebecca's life. She's allowed me to read the first draft and its powerful- all 200 pages. I know its been hard for her and our family to relive the and talk about the painful parts of that decade of our lives. One day at lunch with her in Ft. Worth, she asked be a few questions and it hit me that she was too young to know what really happened as it was happening. I just broke down talking about all the ways God showed up during that terrible time. An amazing book about the process that grief and faith perform in a person's life and their family. Rebecca's memory lives on through Katherine's writing.
After graduating with an associates degree from BPCC, Elizabeth graduated from Airline High School with the School's Second Highest ever GPA and a 35 ACT score. She enjoyed Volleyball and being on Student Council. It was tough leaving her at Vanderbilt in the fall.
Elizabeth finished up her first year in BioMedical Engineering at Vanderbilt. Let's just say she made excellent grades and REALLY REALLY enjoyed Nashville. We enjoyed going to see her and she enjoys being in CHI O. She was selected to work in a lab on campus where they studied with cutting edge microscopy the neuromuscular junctions in fruit fly larvae. She made great friends and hosted a Friendsgiving party for her dorm. Nashville is a great place to collaborate with other young adults and I know that she made the right choice in schools.
This summer she was selected for an internship at Florida State where she is using nano technology in the lab to move cells throughout the body. She's made some great friends and continues to enjoy the career she chose. She is very independent and wise. Truly a great experience.
Beth was inspired to study BioMedical Engineering because of Rebecca's medical struggles. Rebecca memory lives on through Beth's research and passion to help those struggling with medical issues. I think she will literally come up with a cure for majors diseases and even cancer while sitting on the beach in her quiet time.
Charlotte loves spending time with friends and takes every opportunity to share the love of Christ with her buddies and even strangers. Even though she was younger than Rebecca, she is wise beyond her years.
This year she asked me to tell her everything that happened to Rebecca because she read the rough draft of Katherine's book and said that she did not know most of what had happened. So I pulled over and answered every question that she had- lets just say her reaction let me know that she is much more Gatti than Lockhart. We had to have a discussion on forgiveness and God's sovereignty.
I realized that she came along 3 years after Rebecca was born. She knew less than her sisters about how Rebecca was hurt.
Charlotte is a great speaker and leader. She enjoyed going on a mission trip to Oklahoma this year. She is starting a club on campus at school where students are paired with special needs students to make sure they have a friend and are loved on. God is moving in her to help others and her motivation stems from Rebecca's influence on her life. I know Rebecca lives on through Charlotte's love of special needs children!
Susan and I planted a garden this year in memory of Rebecca. Its in our front yard right by the cross I put up a few years ago in her memory. I counted out 25 stones because she was born on the 25th. Then formed a curve that tops out at the 31st stone because she died on the 31st. Susan picked all the plants and designed the layout. It was helpful to make something beautiful in her memory. Everyday I try to spend a few minutes weeding it and pruning it and think about Rebecca. Grief is such a unique emotion.
The flower bed has been a great place to spend time. Susan said it is important to make something beautiful out of nothing when we can. Very wise words.
We celebrated 26 years of marriage this year. We enjoyed teaching the Senior Boys and Girls at Cypress. Who lets a personal injury/divorce lawyer and a PhD Psychologist teach a group of kids!!! Sunday morning class and then Sunday nights at the Stable with 11th and 12th graders. Literally they are like our children. They share the Gospel, go on mission trips, and have truly all blossomed this year into great young adults. They have really been a great group and we will miss them. We also started teaching a Couples of Courage Class at the Stable. We have a great time of fellowship, food and a Bible Study.
Every year gets a little harder and a little easier when we think about Rebecca. I catch myself looking for her sometimes- its amazing the impact a timeless soul has on our limited human mind. I wonder "why" less. I seek strength more. Then I cannot get rid of her wheelchair because it still smells like her and reminds me of her....Cleaning out her room a few years ago set me back a good bit.
God's word means more when you have someone in heaven you miss. Some days I am amazed we made it through it, and other days I can't seem to fathom all that happened to her. I know that God's grace instills a resilient spirit during grief- it inspires, guides, provides wisdom and room for tears and questions. Even allows for the overwhelming sadness--- even Jesus wept at the death of his buddy knowing He would conquer death. The pain she went through was unimaginable. We get asked all the time if a post, a rumor or a political or legal loss effects us. I can honestly say after watching our daughter have seizures and pain 24/7 for tens years, never walking or talking-- that God built up a strength in these girls that is amazing. If you've been through great loss you understand what I mean- its either magic or tragic, you either get better or bitter-- there is no in between. I experienced a normal emotion after a little set back last month-- after I processed it --I actually rejoiced that I had a normal emotion about a normal thing. Grief is such a unique emotion.
Forgiveness of the Doctor that injured Rebecca was the most important thing that we did. It took a little time, but I know that allowed us to heal faster and move on through the grief process. import
Charlotte and I planted a bunch of sunflowers on Rebecca's birthday. They matured in time for Fam Chuch at the Stable. I took some to Rebecca's grave yesterday. Sunflowers are such a good teaching tool of the Gospel. They all start with one small seed, but some plants produces hundreds of seeds and some produce a handful. We've been "harvesting" the seeds and vacuum sealing them for next year. We might just plant the whole front yard!! The flowers always face the sun, just like we should always keep our eyes on The Son- Jesus Christ! AND the chicken love sunflower seeds!!
I spoke at Man Church about Rebecca for the first time. Its very difficult to walk through the process of forgiveness and redemption. I know God is moving though this story of Rebecca's life. https://fb.watch/eCbx-JYxCY/Link to Man Church Sermon
Please continue to pray for our family.
