In Memory

Sometimes events happen very quickly. I've had a pretty good day today - I got up really early, did my "morning things," sat on the porch, had lunch with my friend, Bettye, ran a couple of errands, etc. I'd had a pretty good day. I knew I needed to get back to my exercise program at Curves. I went in, started my workout . . . made it about 1/3 of the way around the circuit . . . and then . . . I saw the sign . . . the memorial fund for Julie . . .

My heart cried, "OH NO!" Julie is young, vibrant, cheerful . . . How can she be gone? Now I understood Michelle's face. She's lost her sister.

Now, I like all the people who work at my Curves. They are each unique, wonderful individuals. I would be this bummed if it had been any of them. But . . . but . . . I have good memories of Julie.

She always greeted me cheerfully and took a genuine interest in me and my daughter. She always wore a big smile. I enjoyed hearing about her kids and their activities.

Death . . .

I'm human. I don't like death . . . .

As Christians we know that death is just a pathway to a new life. Jesus told his disciples he was going to build mansions for them. Revelations tells us about the beauty of heaven. I Thessalonians 4 tells us "We believe that Jesus died and rose and again. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him . . . . we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."

I believe in the resurrection . . . I believe in life after death . . . I believe that those who have died go on to a better place because of Jesus love, his death, and resurrection.

But . . .

For those of us left behind, we celebrate a life, we celebrate God's love . . . but we also grieve the loss of someone we know, someone we love, someone we will miss. We cry with the closest family friends, because we know how deep their pain is at the loss of a loved one. And when someone young dies, there is the additional grief at a life cut short - a different feeling from when an older person dies who has lived a long and full life. We grieve for what might have been.

For me, I have this death echoes. Henry's parents are aging, my parents and grandparents are already dead. And I have a close friend battling cancer. Death is too near . . .

God gave us a strong desire to live - we fight for our lives . . . but in the end . . . we will all meet death . . . .

And somehow through it all . . . God is truly good. In ways that I cannot explain or even understand, he comforts those who are grieving. If we are looking . . . he sends us something to be grateful for every day.

Join me in prayer for Julie's family - her husband, her children, her parents, her sister, her extended family and friends. It has been a month since she departed this earth, but her family is still hurting. May they feel God's love, comfort, and presence each day!