Inspire, Summer 2004

20 Summer 2004 unforgettable June 6, Tara had taken Melissa to the beach and then to the cottage. But she had not, of course, taken her home because Jordan was there. As Tara and I discussed Melissa, Tara turned to me and said, “Mr. Branon, I wish I had taken Melissa home that night.” I told her, “Tara, if you had taken Melissa home that night, you would have been in an accident.” Although I do not know that for certain, I do know that nothing anyone could have done could have prevented Melissa from leaving us that night. God, in His mysterious yet majestic plan, appointed Melissa just 17 years, 10 months, and 16 days to live on this earth and prepare for eternity. That brings me to the second truth that has become so important to us as we have walked through this unwanted new existence without our daughter. Melissa was ready to meet God. Nothing else Melissa did while she shone so brightly in her brief life was as important as the moment she trusted Jesus Christ as Savior. Less than a year before Melissa’s accident, she had the grand privilege of traveling with a school group to Spain during summer vacation to see the culture and to practice Spanish. One night she and her friend Mandy went back to their hotel room early and decided to “experience the European culture” by watching television. While they watched, they saw the story of three teenagers who died in an accident. This began a conversation between Mandy and Melissa — a conversation Mandy related to me after Melissa’s death. As they discussed the subject of dying, Mandy told me that Melissa said, “I don’t know why Christians are afraid to die. It just means that we get to be with God all the time.” What a perspective for one so young, but who would know that she was so close to experiencing that grand entrance, to be in the presence of her Creator and her Lord. In Melissa’s Bible, on the page of the salvation passage Romans 10:9,10, is this note: “My name is Melissa, but you can call me Mell!”When I found that note in her Bible, I took it to be Mell’s note to God. On June 6, 2002, our great and glorious God welcomed Mell home, and I’m sure her Savior had these words for her, “Well done, Mell, good and faithful servant.” As I mention these two grand truths — God’s comforting sovereignty and the reassurance of Melissa’s salvation — I must be honest about one thing. As grand and glorious as those two things are, they cannot for a moment relieve the gnawing pain that resides daily in our hearts. While Melissa enjoys heaven’s glories, our family gatherings are still empty, our photos of Melissa still stop at age 17, our arms continue to ache to hold her again. Neither the greatest theological truth nor the warmest feeling of God’s closeness during our sadness can give us what our hearts continue to desire. Perhaps I can best describe the feeling this way. Have you ever had in your hands something of great value — perhaps a family heirloom or a fine piece of china — only to have it drop from your hands and shatter to the floor? Remember how you felt at that moment? The panic? The loss? The rush of sadness? That pain is but a memory, isn’t it? You’ve moved past that loss and on to the rest of life. To me, that panic and that loss of the dropped artifact never goes away. There’s a panic in our hearts that does not dissipate. There’s a loss that weighs heavily on our souls at all times. That is why we are thankful for another source of strength to accompany God’s hand of love, and that is the assistance of the community of believers. Locally, we have received it in abundance from the moment our friends heard the tragic news. And continually we receive notes and e-mails from friends who are praying for us. And on a larger scale, we know that the Christian community cares because of the response I’ve received from the articles I’ve written about Melissa in Our Daily Bread . Since my first article on her death appeared in August 2003, I’ve received several hundred notes, e-mails, and cards from caring people who didn’t even know us. They’ve sent books and tapes and CDs. They’ve written poems, painted pictures, and even sent love gifts. And many fellow bereaved parents have told the painful stories of their own loss. That’s how the Christian community works, being God’s hands to offer hope and help in the time of greatest need. The day before we sat proudly in that crowded row at the Dixon Ministry Center to watch Julie graduate, our oldest daughter Lisa took her siblings (without our knowledge) to a photographer’s studio for a special session. She, Julie, Melissa, and Steve wanted to surprise us with a set of professionally done pictures. Who knew that one special photo in that batch of pictures would turn out to be what I call “Melissa’s senior picture.” She would never get to sit for her real senior pictures, but this photo has become our “graduation” photo of her. For the rest of our lives, we will recall her as a beautiful, vibrant, godly 17-year-old girl and celebrate with that photo her own divinely appointed graduation. Indeed, Dr. Dixon was right. “Our times are in God’s hands.” And now, so is our unforgettable daughter Melissa. Dave Branon ’73 is managing editor of “Sports Spectrum” magazine. He and his wife, Sue (Tuttle) ’74, live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their daughter, Lisa Branon Spangler ’98, and her husband, Todd ’98, also live in Grand Rapids. Daughter Julie Branon Sharp ’02 and her husband, Ewing, live in Dallas, Texas. Son Steve is a senior at Grand Rapids Baptist High School. Melissa Branon