Girls Write Out
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
I'VE BEEN SAD LATELY
I've always snickered at people who get all caught up in celebrities. (No offense if you're one of them.) But the news of Steve Irwin's death hit me hard. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was his exuberance for life and animals, maybe it was his total love and devotion for his family, or maybe it was that he was Australian. I think most Americans hold a soft spot for Australia. They're more like us, taming a wild land. Whatever it was, I have found myself scouring the internet looking for snippets about how Terri and the kids are doing. I felt like I KNEW them all.

The loss of this one man dovetailed with 9/11. Steve's death was pushed aside a bit to commemorate our own loss, but to me it was kind of one and the same. It wasn't the grand scale of what we lost in 9/11 that was so devastating, it was the individual people. The children who went through that first day and every day after that without their mother or their father. The wives who went to bed alone for the first time that night. The husbands who missed the soft touch of their wife's hand on their hair. Loss is always about one family's struggle to go on. I've found myself praying often for Terri, Bindi, and Bob. And for the families who still struggle here in our own land without the one they love.

Maybe it hit me so hard because it was just a week after the anniversary of my own brother's death. Randy was a bit like Steve, passionate, caring and loving. So I've been thinking about loss a lot lately and how it affects us in so many ways. The changes are deep and fundamental, and we're never the same again, not really. The good side of that is our loved ones are resting against Jesus' heart and we'll see them again someday. I'm going to give my brother a high five, hug my grandpa and pillow against my grandma's huge bosom. LOL What a day that will be! I might even try to find Steve Irwin and tell him, "Crikey, bloke, what were you DOING with that stingray?" LOL
Colleen Coble  
posted at 7:53 AM  
  Comments (10)
 
 
Delicious Delicious
10 Comments:
At 9:39 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The man was a proclaimed atheist. We should be sad that he's not spending eternity with our Lord, but for him to be so revered - when there are many, many others more deserving of the reverence dying hourly - saddens me. Earthy idols??

 
At 10:26 AM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

Actually Anonymous, Steve reportedly had been attending church and accepted Christ 3 weeks before he died.

But whether he did or not, he was still a man I enjoyed watching and felt I knew. He was open and honest and had a good heart.

 
At 12:59 PM, Blogger Sabrina L. Fox said...

I am so sad he died, too. He brought joy to so many, not to mention the work he did for the environment. He made me a nervous wreck watching him.

C, I had to laugh at what you'll say to him if you meet him in heaven. =) "Crikey, bloke, what were you DOING with that stingray?" You crack me up. ;)

It gives me great hope to think he might have accepted Christ 3 weeks before he died. That's awesome!

 
At 1:58 PM, Blogger allen etter said...

Colleen, why don't you just delete anonymous's comment. I too had heard that Steve believed in God. It was the first question my son asked me when he heard about Steve.

And anonymous, what's with the "Earthy idols" crack. No one is worshiping Steve here. The man brought a lot of joy and entertainment to our family. It's part of the reason my six year old still wants to be a zoo vet.

And one last thing. If Steve was an atheist, you have no idea what the last thoughts were that ran through his head as he pulled the barb from his chest. It could easily have been, "God, save me."

 
At 5:26 PM, Blogger Malia Spencer said...

I was so sad to hear about Steve Irwin. I grew up watching Crocodile Hunter and loved it. He really seemed to care about his wife and kids so much. I can't imagine how devastated they are right now.

I didn't know he had been attending church but that's really good to know. I was wondering as soon as I heard he died.

Colleen, you cracked me up with the stingray comment. Any chance of getting you to demonstrate the Aussie accent at the conference? :)

 
At 9:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Loved Steve - great guy. His excitement for living was something I'm sure God would love to see in all of us. And, it's not wrong to love and miss people that don't know God. Actually, it's very, very right. Only God knows what was in Steve's heart.
My mom is really taking this hard. She said someone should have sent the chaplain, we shouldn't have had to hear it on the news :)
I'd love to read about his new relationship with God, where can I find that? My mom would really enjoy knowing that she might get the chance to hang out with him in heaven.

 
At 9:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am sort of speechless...

But anyway, I am very sad about Steve Irwin's death. My family loved watching him. My daughter made the comment that he was in heaven with our relatives. Then she thought for a minute longer and said something like, "I think he believed in God because he had to, to be that brave."

 
At 11:19 PM, Blogger allen etter said...

is this the same anonymous from above?

 
At 8:10 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I know it's a day late, but it was hard to remember what I wanted to say yesterday since the posted comments I read were startling to me. I felt we needed to take up for mourning Steve Irwin and maybe we got side tracked, which was maybe the purpose of one of your commenters.

Colleen, I really wanted to say I love your comment, "The changes are deep and fundamental, and we're never the same again, not really." Your post wasn't only about Mr. Irwin, but about what losing someone means to all of us, how it changes the country and individuals.

It's true. Peace be with you during this time of remembering your brother. I lost a very dear friend around this time last year. The same stuff has been on my mind.

 
At 12:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was also saddened to hear of his death. I read on one of the news sites that he was filming something else for his own show and he took a detour to get some stingray footage for his daughters own new show. I pray he was ready to meet the Lord. I admired his passion for life. His family definitely needs our prayers whether they are saved or not (especially if they are not).

I just lost my uncle to a freak accident. He loved to ride bicycles and he was out for a ride when the chain broke, his bike flipped and his head hit the ground. Even with a helmet, it was too much of an impact (he was in his 60's or 70's). It was a shock, but he was ready to meet Jesus and I imagine him running down the streets of heaven (running was his first love, but no longer possible so he took up biking).

Anyway, thank you for your post on remembering those we've lost.

My sister has a reminder each year on her birthday of the loss of her daughter (she had just turned 1) and her first husband. Her husband has accepted the Lord the week before his death. Life is hard, but I'm thankful we have hope now and a reunion to look forward to later.

Anonymous: There is no idol worship in remembering someone who meant something to us. I can respect someone whether they are saved or not. Steve was a man passionate about life and his family. There is something we can learn from him even if he didn't believe in God, but I hope he did. And I hope his family does because they need his comfort during their grief.

We are to have compassion especially for the lost. God loves everyone not just those who love him back (thank goodness) and he remembers each and every person.

 

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The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
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