Alex Tyler Harp

September 5, 1993 – August 14, 2007

IT is the time of the year that we have been most dreading.  What most people call “The one year anniversary of his death”.  We like to call it, his first Spiritual Birthday in Heaven.  We are trying to be strong, but at times we find it hard and difficult to find the strength to be strong.  We have to constantly remind ourselves of God’s love and because of the love that He has for us, He promises to protect and to comfort us.  I still hear a lot of people asking the question “why does God take such good people?”  I used to ask that question too.  When Alex died, we were told by many pastors that it is okay to ask why.  Over this past year, God has told us many reasons why and it started just a few days after Alex passed away.  He told us that our children are only on loan to us, it is our job to raise them to serve Him.  On August 14, 2007 God was ready to take Alex back.  At that time we had so much guilt because we as his parents could do nothing to bring him back.  After a few days of his passing God told us it was his time.  We accepted that and have relied on God since then to carry us thru our darkest days, and there have been many.  Most everyone knows of the changes and the events that have taken place since then.  If not, then you can visit our website at www.whywaiteministries.com.  In the book of Isaiah, God tells Isaiah “why”.  We are to go to God for guidance and answers.  This passage is His answer to our “why”.  Isaiah 57:1 “Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time.  But no one seems to care or wonder why.  No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.”  If we could write a letter to Alex this is what it would say:

Dear Alex,

We miss you so much, baby.  Life will never be the same without you here.  We miss our vacations with you, we miss our trips to Wild Adventures, we miss our camping trips, but most of all we miss your laughter, jokes, and smiles.  We miss seeing you try to walk past us trying to sneak food to your room and getting caught.  We miss you sitting between us in church and us constantly nudging you to keep you awake.  We know you must have been faking, because you always laughed.  We miss hearing you sing.  You brought so much joy to this family and sometimes it is almost unbearable to get thru the days.  Thank God, we have the bible, God’s instruction book that promises we will be together again.  And it will be sooner than a lot of people think.  So, we are keeping your legacy alive and spreading God’s word.  Hopefully, we can help lead others to come to know that thru Jesus is the only way to Heaven.  Alex, thank you for who you were and for the legacy that you left.  Without your legacy, we don’t know what we would have done.  You will always live within our hearts.  We have dreamed of you often, but it is just not the same.  There is and will always be a piece of our heart missing.  We know that you are just having a ball; after all you are in Heaven, now.  No more worries, no pain.  Just serving the Lord, we’re sure.  After all II Corinthians 5:6-8 says “For the believer, death does not separate him from God; it is a transition into His presence.”   We love you more than any words can say.  We will continue to shed our tears as we progress thru the grief stricken days that lie ahead.  But, we are constantly reminded thru His word, that we will be together again.  Until then our sweet precious angel.

Love you always and forever,

Dad, Mom and Chris