Jason's 33rd Birthday...

Jason rockin' the whitewater, Summer 2004 :)
Today is Jason's birthday... he would have been 33 years old. It is crazy for me to think about that because so many of my memories of him are from when we were kids... and we were friends since toddlerhood! So to acknowledge our age is crazy to me. (I am 9 months older than he was so I always know how old he would have been each year on May 16.) It really brings tears to my eyes to think about our childhood because it was so wonderful and truly special! We had so much fun together and with the other kids on our street (including my sisters and his sisters) and so the memories are such a blessing! I so wish I could rewind time and re-live some of those days. We were oblivious to the evil that existed in the world, oblivious to economic and financial hardships, oblivious to world crises, etc. ... and we had a blast! I truly miss those days! I miss that innocence and the lack of the knowledge of evil that thrived in this world. So heaven is an incredible promise of God to look forward to! And I thank God that Jason is already there with his beloved Lindsay. Since they are no longer here, there is no better place for them to be! I hope that in heaven we can recall, in perfect detail, the joys from our childhood together because I would love to have that kind of recollection. Those days were idyllic in SO many ways. I miss the tree climbing, bike riding, skinned knees, wild imaginations, berry picking, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches with a glass of milk, macaroni & cheese, adventures in the woods, yard games, kiddie pools, Slip-n-Slides, making "forts" in the basement, his G.I. Joes, Lincoln Logs, Legos and Tinker Toys and my Barbies and Cabbage Patch Kids. He was always willing to play our girly games (poor kid, he was the only boy between my family and his!) but he humored us by playing along, as long as I was willing to play his adventurous games and with his toys too later on. :) I loved those days! I miss those days!

Me & Jason at age 3 with one of our typical lunches... peanut butter & jelly sandwiches with milk. :)
So today, I fondly remember Jason and very much look forward to the day I can see him again! I am so blessed to still be close to his family after all of these years! And it's always so fun to sit with them and talk about him too. God is awesome! Even though I will always wonder why He allowed it to happen... I do know that He views death so much differently than we do. And because God knows the "big picture" that we cannot see, He knows the lives that have been touched (and will continue to be) through Jason & Lindsay's story and that brings comfort! Bittersweet comfort, but comfort nonetheless. (I am speaking for myself, of course, but I know Jason's & Lindsay's families feel the same way. They have been very clear about that.)

I asked Jason's mom if she would like to share something on this website in memory of Jason's 33rd birthday. What a beautiful tribute to their oldest child and only son:

Jason's birthday is today, and we remember his love of life, his laughter and his unique way of sharing his adventures with us. When faced with a challenging and often dangerous situation, his favorite words were "Let's do it!" He did not shy away from experiencing the experience.

His favorite verse was Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Yes, he faced disappointments and failures in life, just as we all do. He realized he wasn't invincible. He knew he could very easily die on the river or suffer a fatal fall from a rock. He said he was ready, because he believed he would not die one minute before or one minute after God's will for him.

Jason knew the physical limitations. And in those times of failure, he searched to find the direction God intended for him to go. Still, he believed that God would strengthen and enable him to do all that was in God's will for him. He never doubted these words, and in this he found peace, hope, and purpose.

We never stop thinking of you, Jason. We never stop missing your presence with us. We still celebrate the day you were given to us. Happy Birthday!

Love,
Dad and Mom

Happy 33rd Birthday Jason! ♥ You are greatly missed.