Interview with Larry and Cindy

I have talked to several of you who have checked the blog to see an update so thought I would do another interview. Tyler went back to the Dr. this week. He had his foot measured for a brace to make his foot turn correctly.

Larry and Cindy put their thoughts together and answered my question this way:

1. Tell us in your words your thoughts about that Sunday afternoon, May 18, 2008.

The day of May 18th began so normally….cook, go to Sunday School and church, a piano recital, a celebration at the chapel. Two of our sons left to check on the fire. It could have easily been all three of them, as it is so often. Then came the phone call, the call that every parent hopes and prays they will never receive. Even after that, I was not prepared for what we would encounter as we topped the hill and saw the scene of the wreck. No words can describe the pain in my heart; all I could do is cry out to the Lord for mercy for my sons. Looking back, we can see the Lord’s hand in every detail. Our church was full of saints who immediately interceded on our behalf. The EMS workers, the Fire Dept., the entire staff at the hospital, were not only professional and performed the tasks they were trained to do, but they were also there reaching out to the needs of our family. The body of Christ immediately surrounded us in Knox City and also in Lubbock. Keith was truly an angel that day, and our family gives God all the glory for giving him the courage and strength to do what he did that day. As the scripture says in Job…the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. That day, the Lord gave to us…blessed be the name of the Lord.

2. How did you get through those first few days?
I started keeping a book to help us remember details….looking back at it now, in the first two days we had over a hundred visitors and probably as many phone calls. I can still recall the overwhelming feeling of being loved as we were surrounded by family and the body of Christ. Psalm 142:7b “The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me.” We truly experienced that! We went to the chapel often, which happened to be right between the boys. The blog was such a blessing to us, because we could go in at night and listen to the worship music before trying to sleep. We were lifted up and carried by the prayers of the saints.
3. Have you ever had any kind of trial that helped prepare you for this?
Losing my parents and going through some difficult days with my dad before his death probably made us stronger, but nothing could prepare us for the possibility of losing two of our three sons.

4. How do you think God is involved in our every day struggles?
He is sovereign and EVERYTHING is in His hands. God Himself is the light at the end of our tunnel of pain. Everything that happens in our lives is to conform us to the image of His son and the purpose of our lives is to give glory to God.
5. What verse or verses of scripture have you held on to?
Many, but especially Psalm 91:14-16
“The Lord says,” I will rescue those who love me,
I will protect those who trust my name.
When they call on me I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue them and honor them.
I will reward them with long life and give them my salvation.”

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

6. What has been the hardest part of the past weeks?
Watching the pain and suffering the boys had to endure. There were many very difficult days, but two will be forever in our memories: the trauma of the wreck itself and the day that Trey had to be readmitted to the hospital during the same time that Tyler’s temperature went to 106.7 degrees. Fear gripped our hearts and we made calls to ask for prayer. The following morning, a precious friend called and said, “We are standing in the gap holding your hands up to the Lord when you are weak.”
7. What has been the biggest blessing?
How thankful we are that Todd, Wes, and none of the children got in to go with the boys. I will never forget the day that Larry and I stood and watched Todd and Trey walk in to Tyler’s bedside. Seeing the three of them together again at that moment will forever be a picture in our minds of God’s mercy and grace. 8. How do you think your life will be changed?
Our lives were changed forever and will never be the same. We realize now that each day is a gift from God and His mercies are new every morning! I think we suddenly realized how quickly our live can change. The song comes to my mind….”When it’s all been said and done, there’s not but one thing that matters….did I do my best to live for Him?”
9. Have you asked Why?
No, but we have asked what He wants us to learn from our experience.
10. Could you express what it has meant to you for the Body of Christ to surround you
in prayer?
Grateful and so humbled. No family could have been more blessed by the outpouring of love. God is so good and He surrounded us with people of faith who not only held us up in prayer, but physically took care of our needs at home while we were away for so long.