Loss With Ultimate Gain

This post is more difficult to write than others. Dwelling on the loss of a loved one around Christmas time seems to be continual with family gatherings and remembering the blessings of the season, but also more comforting at the same time. It is a time when your heart searches out the faith that brings comfort and joy during grief while also remembering that our Savior endured the same loss and ultimately conquered death in our place, we are free.I got married this last June and "technically" became part of my husband's family, but honestly I felt like part of the family from the first time I walked in to meet them. I am blessed beyond belief to have the most amazing in-laws and am beyond thankful that we could share our wedding day with them.  I also remember the blessing of having these past many years to enjoy their company especially that of Grandpa Howdy who passed away December 26, 2014.We will be celebrating his life in the next couple of days, but he will ultimately be part of us for the rest of our lives. He was astounding in many ways both through humor, love, and especially his ambition for farming and the ability to climb up the steepest combine stairs (That still blows my mind).I entitled this blog post very carefully for many reasons. Though there is clearly a loss there is also ultimate gain in every life. The gain of knowing them for any length of time no matter how big or small, the gain of knowing that they are embracing a paradise beyond imagining, and finally the gain that through faith we will also enjoy this same treasure and be with them again.