Grieve with Hope. Grieve with Courage.

These were the words spoken at the funeral for Macy, James, and Margaret today. Heather said that it was emotional and heart-wrenching to see the children’s two small caskets on either side of their grandmother’s. Rather than mark their death, the service celebrated their life, and they ultimately returned the three innocent souls back into the arms of our Lord.

More than 1,000 people attended the wake and there is little doubt that thousands more mourned alongside the family from afar. Marci was amazing. She accepted hundreds of hugs, countless words of support, and witnessed more tears than anyone should see in a lifetime.

When Heather and I spoke the night before the service we wondered how Marci would be able to cope. We wondered how she’d be able to stand strong and endure hours of renewed grief as each person passed before her. We wondered how she’d be able to contain her anger over the senseless evil that took away what mattered most to her.

But Heather said that Marci’s strength was inspiring and uplifting. Rather than give up hope and succumb to the misery her ex-husband had planned to deliver, she stood strong and said, “I will not let him beat me.”

Even as he smirked for his mugshot, smiled at his arraignment, and peered around the courtroom hoping to see her in tears, he had no idea how much he empowered Marci and galvanized her devotion to her children and their memories. As he sits in a cell awaiting justice he is probably incensed that his acts didn’t destroy her.

Yes, he took the lives of her children. Yes, he took the life of her mother. But he didn’t take the life of her spirit or her resolve. She is a strong woman and this is a trait he seemed to hate most. His actions did nothing to break her and this will do nothing to satisfy his demons. This is how she will fight back.

She will grieve with hope. She will grieve with courage. And she will not let him beat her.

God Bless.