As printed in the newspaper column: A Voice In The Mountains, By Alan D. Turner

NEVER TO GROW OLD

05/19/2021 is our Grandson Kaleb Alan Turner’s Twenty-Ninth Birthday. This is the thirteenth year since his fatal automobile accident, which occurred 10/13/2008. Since that time, when I have done a memorial article for Kaleb, I added a picture of him at various ages: That all may see him as he looked when he was that cute adorable little redheaded baby boy and as he grew from the beautiful young child into the handsome young adult that he was.

As before, so now in this article, I add a picture of Kaleb. As I am looking at the last pictures taken of him to pick from, I can’t help but wonder what he might have looked like today. For just in the last few months leading up to his accident, you could see his teenaged physical features changing into the full aged man he was to have become. My hope and faith tells me that there is a time coming when we will see our Kaleb once again, and when we do, we will see him in his perfection (Romans 8: 16-25).

In a previous article I wrote titled: He Is Not Alone; I shared that Kaleb is now with his two uncles: Daniel and Matthew, 3 cousins: Tyler, Ricky, and Michael Gabriel, and 1 younger sister: Katelyn Renee: All leaving this present world prematurely due to sickness or miscarriages. Also, they are even others who were conceived in the womb, but were gone before anyone could know their gender; thus, their names will not be known until a later time: For I believe in Heaven they are known by the names they were destined to have here on this earth.

Like Kaleb, we have pictures of those of our children and grandchildren who were born. Their ages vary, with the oldest being Daniel just shy his second birthday, and we have those of our grandsons Little Ricky at 1 year old, and Tyler who was stillborn. We also have an ultrasound picture of our one and only little granddaughter Katelyn Renee, who was gone before she could be delivered. Nancy has these pictures throughout the house, side by side with pictures of our children and grandchildren who are still with us.

Since a picture only shows one’s appearance at the time it was taken; if one did not know who these children or grandchildren are, they would have no idea who was the oldest or youngest? Who was the child or grandchild?

As we’ve had to do all these many years from the first departure of Daniel and for each one since, which now includes not only Kaleb, but also Michael Gabriel, who went on ahead after Kaleb; we’ve no other choice but to only imagine within our hearts what they may have looked like now, and what lives they may be living if they were still amongst us today.

And while we imagine of what may have been; we are waiting for our time to come to be reunited with each and every one of them; in That Heavenly Place where no one grows old (Job 14: 13-15).

In a picture it only seems one’s appearance never ages; but in that perfect place it is so far better: For those who are there are no longer aging. I am not sure at what age one will look like in that place; The Bible does not tell us? The important thing is not what age one might appear to be; it is that you will be forever perfect in body, soul, as well as spirit. Our faith is that one day we will join all our loved ones who have already made it to that place, and our hope is that others of our loved ones will join us.

The Bible promises us: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead) that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (die) in Jesus, will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by The Word of The Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of The Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: And the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet The Lord in the air: And so shall we ever be with The Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (excerpts 1 Thessalonians 4: All).

As I close this article, let me share with one and all that it is Bible Verses like the one above that gives Nancy and me not only comfort, but the strength to endure living life without our children and grandchildren, as we wait for the time when we will forever be with not only Our Lord, but as well with all our loved ones who have gone on ahead of us. Until then, we believe that those who are already there are aware of us still here; so, to our dear redheaded boy – “HAPPY BIRTHDAY KALEB!”

As we are looking toward that eternity that awaits; UNTIL THEN, THIS HAS BEEN ONE PAPAW AND NANA STILL MISSING THEIR KALEB AND ALL OF OUR YOUNG ONES WHO HAVE WENT ON AHEAD OF US.

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05/10/2021 — adt