Gone too soon...

As a fairly young person, still in my teenage years it is quite easy for me to look at my life and hope for what tomorrow will bring, what things I will try and what things I will accomplish, and its fair to say that most people my age, like me, think that the are invincible! We have our whole lives ahead of us and we normally assume that we will live to get married, have a good job, finish uni and get old (probably not in the that order though!). But sometimes that doesn't always happen and last Saturday morning, Rebecca Kate Philp (more fondly known as Bec) passed away at just 17 years of age, after hitting her head during an epileptic seizure.

Bec was a young girl in my youth group at Box Hill Salvos, a girl which I had a fair bit to do with. I was her cell leader when she first came to Box Hill when she was in year 8 and then again when she was in year 10. She also dated my brother and practically lived at my house for a year, we did a lot of things together, not all the time, but over a long time, and her passing has left a hole in my life.

Bec was absolutely stunning, but she could eat whatever she wanted, probably the best combination I could ever imagine, her only flaw was her love for pickled onions (However this particular trait did win my Dad over, so maybe it was all worth it!). She loved life and lived it to the full, always testing the boundaries but always coming back to where it was safe again, She also loved the people in her life so much more then they ever expected she would, and she always wanted to know more about life, about love, about God.

Yesterday, at church, we had her funeral, a celebration of the beautiful girl that she was, and still is, just up in heaven now instead. The Church was packed full of people that Bec had made am impact on, I don't think that she would have believed it when she looked down to see. She was sooooo amazing and touched so many lives. I tell you what though, I never want to say goodbye to another of my cell girls again. It just doesn't seem right and it doesn't seem fair, things were finally working out for her and her future looked sooooo bright. And while because of what I believe I know that she is in heaven and that she is probably having a lot more fun, finally driving and shopping and eating chocolate as much as she wants to, I still don't understand why God would take her now. But I guess that's where faith comes in, I have to believe that there was a purpose and a plan for her going now, even though I can't see what it is. I know that God is looking at the bigger picture and that this fits, I just have to chose to trust and not get mad that I can't see the answers as well.

Anyway, I guess what I want to say is that I will miss you bec, more than you will ever know, I am soooo blessed to have had you in my life at all and I thank God that he shared me with you even if it was only for a little while. And I want you to know that I will try and take care of your family and Dave, so you don't need to worry.

I also just want to say too that... Janette and Jeff, Aaron, Glenn and Ashley, and Dave too, I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through right now, but I want you to know that I love you, and that I loved your daughter/sister/girlfriend, and that I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for letting me share her with you. She was an amazing girl and I will miss her stacks.

Rest in Peace Bec, we love you.