After A Year

A year ago today we were joined by a multitude of friends and family to celebrate Charlotte Jane Bassett's life. It is a day I will never forget. There were tears. There was pain. There were smiles. There was joy. There was HOPE!
With Elaine in my arms, with Elizabeth and Justin by my side, and many of you surrounding us, we sang out to the Lord. We sang Before the Throne and claimed Christ's intercession on our behalf. We sang Blessed Be Your Name and offered our worship to the Lord despite our broken hearts. We sang O Glorious Day and rejoiced in the miraculous hope we have that one day we will join our girl, Charlie, in the presence of Jesus!

Rick spoke about Charlotte's life, and while I don't remember much of what he said (because I had a super cute Lainie K to capture my attention:), I do remember that he reminded us that we had been chosen to be Charlotte's parents and chosen to share in Christ's sufferings in a very real way. These words, while simple, have spoken volumes to my heart over the past twelve months. In God's providence, He chose to demonstrate His great love and mercy toward us by bringing Charlotte into the world and allowing us to be with her for seven days. What a gift!

Every eye gazed heavenward as we sang Jesus Loves Me and released balloons. CJ's life, much like those balloons was fleeting but caused many eyes to be directed toward and captured by King Jesus. Thank you Charlie!

A year later, the pain is still there. We grieve the fact that we don't have a crazy one year old full of personality to chase around. We grieve the fact that we are a family of four and not a family of five. We grieve the fact that we will not see Charlotte grow up. We grieve that our plans for our family have changed.

A year later, we know Christ so much more deeply. Justin and I are both very aware that God has cultivated great depth in our character and faith through the circumstances of the past year. We are no longer just claiming truths hoping for them to be true. We are proclaiming what we know to be true because we have seen it played out in our part of His story! Jesus is enough!

A year later we have seen so many prayers answered!

In a situation where many couples struggle, our marriage has only become stronger. Justin and I have grieved differently, but we have grieved alongside one another and fought for joy in each others' lives. Thank you JESUS!
Elizabeth and Elaine have thrived!
Elizabeth has such an incredible heart and desire to know God. She has a sincere heart that is filled with compassion. Her love for Charlotte is beautiful. On Valentine's Day, she received a cute frog balloon that said I LOVE YOU on it. She asked me to write "sissy kisses for you" on it and then "sent it up to Charlotte." She is an amazing four year old! Thank you JESUS!
Elaine's zest for life has been a welcome bright spot on many hard days. Elaine has spent the year really trying to understand about Charlotte. After twelve months of her saying "Charlotte is with Jesus!" Elaine finally asked, "How long is Charlotte going to be with Jesus?" I replied by telling her that Charlotte will always be with Jesus, but we have hope that one day when we die or when Jesus comes back, we too will get to go to be with Jesus! She responded, "Oh, like O Glorious Day!!!!!" Yes, my love, like O Glorious Day! I love that she is connecting the songs that we sing to life. At the age of two, Elaine is grasping truths in ways that only the work of the Lord could produce. Thank you JESUS!
God has indeed taken such tender care of my girls' hearts. He has been the Comforter for our Family. Thank you JESUS!

We have been surrounded by the Body of Christ and know what it is to be upheld by those around us in prayer and in truth. We have been taken care of so well and remembered often. We have not journeyed alone. Thank you JESUS!
God has used us to speak truth into the lives of others who are walking in similar circumstances. We have been able to encourage both friends and strangers as we hear of their situations. Our sphere of influence has widened greatly, and we have been able to proclaim the power of the Gospel to those who are in need of healing. Thank you JESUS!
God has transformed countless lives through Charlotte's seven days. Men and women have been brought into deeper relationship with Christ! Hearts of stone have been broken. Our need for Jesus has been made evident. The Lord has been gracious toward us. Thank you JESUS!


On Charlotte's birthday, we celebrated! A few friends who have walked especially closely with us this year as well as Nana and PawPaw and Grammy and Pop joined us at the cemetery to sing Happy Birthday and Jesus Loves Me as we released pink and purple balloons in Charlotte's memory. It was really precious. Afterward we went to dinner and enjoyed pink cupcakes together (a Bassett family tradition to celebrate birthdays!).
The week between the 10th and 17th was such a tension between celebrating and grieving. We received so many phone calls, texts, emails, and cards; I was blown away! Several of my girlfriends took me out for breakfast and encouraged me greatly. Justin and I were able to get away for a date and process a little bit. I recounted sweet moments with my girl and longed for our Heavenly reunion.
On the 17th Justin and I woke up at 5:30am, the time our loss became Charlotte's gain of eternity with Jesus with a transformed and perfected body! Justin prayed, and we were filled with a great peace and gratitude that God has indeed carried us through the hardest year of our lives! Lizzie went to school, and Justin, Lainie and I went to breakfast together; what a treat:) Then, Lainie and I met friends at a beautiful park to play, have lunch and enjoy extra special cupcakes in Charlotte's honor. We enjoyed our time as a family that night and finished out the day reading about Heaven in the Big Picture Storybook Bible and singing O Glorious Day as a family. We are so thankful that we can grieve in honesty and in hope!

Thank you for walking with us. Thank you for serving us in prayer. Thank you for your words of encouragement. Thank you for grieving with us. Thank you for allowing us to share the hope of Christ with you in our suffering.

We love you Charlotte Jane Bassett!
Your tiny footprints have made a huge impact; we will never be the same because of you!
Your life, precious one, worshiped your God and King!

Psalm 145
1 I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.

10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
[The Lord is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.]t
14 The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.