We had another special experience a few days ago. I got a phone call from Greg asking for the car. This summer with kids working one of us is usually without a car. He had been called by a friend to help a husband give his wife a blessing. The wife had just left in an ambulance. These people are friends of ours, people we have been privileged to rub shoulders with and say hello to each Sunday. Greg asked if I would go with him. I said of course, rearranged what I was going to do, changed clothes, checked my unruly hair and zipped out the door.
While silently praying for him, I was also excited. I love to share these experiences with him. We arrived at the hospital and began visiting with the couple. She was experiencing more complications from a chronic illness she deals with. We watched nurses and aids come and go and visited with them. Finally, there was a break in the action and after she had shared her peace and testimony that she was ready to go home to her Heavenly Father that today she was just asking peace for the moment and strength for her husband, Greg gave her a beautiful blessing. Yet again, I was so thankful he is my eternal companion. He is good.
I cried and rejoiced at being able to be a part of such a special time with such exemplary people. I told Anna later I am not at peace with dying and standing before my maker today. I have stuff I'm working on and I need more time and desire to be better, let go, and hold on.
The hour or so we spent visiting will be a treasured memory. Since my grandmother passed so peacefully I have been privileged to share with others as they walk the path of death and loss. I have a great respect for these sacred events. There can be peace, love, and goodness through this process. There is always hurt, sadness, and grief but there is great hope and so much love from people here on earth and often those on the other side are close too.
One question the sweet lady asked was will I know people in Heaven? Will they know me? Yes and Yes. I think death or the change from here to there happens fast when the spirit is finally freed from the body. I think that it is joyous, happy and familiar in the next realm. And I'm sure that we remember as we reunite with loved ones who they are and why they matter so much to us.
Today as with so many others there are many burdens, many concerns about things not in my control (read politics) that will affect my family greatly. There are people suffering and grieving as their loved ones slip away both in real death and in choices that are painful to abide. Sometimes I wonder what really matters? Does dinner? Does this disagreement with my eternal companion? Heavy thinking thus these quotes really spoke to me.
I was so thankful I had taken some time to rest before the visit so I had the strength and the peace from being recharged. Recovery is important and not laziness.
There is life beyond this. There is much goodness here. We are blessed beyond words to know a small bit of where we are going and what happens there. Life is special and goes quickly. I hope I am not wasting my days on worry and instead on living, using this small time I have to love well and share the hope, happiness, and gifts that are mine with those that matter most to me.
I am thankful for special people we come in contact with through our church and community associations. People we look up to, work with, sometimes are frustrated with, and people we go through life with. I don't think it's an accident who we spend our life with and around. As many of these people pass on my mind is weighted on the lessons I learned from them, the way they made me feel and desire to be. Thank goodness for lots of cleaning and hoeing to have plenty of time to ponder. And yet there is lots of laughter from my children while swinging or running in sprinklers, and I see their excitement with each ripe raspberry found. These are the sounds of life today.
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