Three weeks….

Stood still like a moment in time,

Yet so much changed,

Lives re-arranged...

“Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

(James 4:13-14)

~

Three weeks ago, my father in law was fine (or so we all thought); Then we received news that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the esophagus. It was too late to stop this aggressive cancer. This began a steady decline and before we knew it, three weeks passed by in a flash and he was gone.


On the one hand, we believe that God was merciful in taking him quickly. He did not suffer long. He did not linger. On the other hand, we wish, oh how we wish, we had more time.


Despite our grief over our loss, we have no regrets because we had a loving relationship. For years, every single visit, every conversation ended with “God bless you and I love you”. He was a gentle man who was tender toward all; a good listener; an encourager; a faithful man; strong, yet highly sensitive; wise and confident, yet humble.


He was a wonderful father and a friend to many who were grateful to have known and loved him. He will be sorely missed, yet we are confident that we will see him again...



On Glory's Side

No tears appear on glory's side,
Nothing to fear; no reason to hide,
For glory is a safe and wondrous home,

All cares are vanished like a vapor,
And fears are swept off with the wind,
All questions now are being answered,
No more doubts and no more sin...

How beautiful is this sweet sweet glory,
How bright and full of life,
Love surrounds us pure and holy,
No more pain and no more strife,

Oh glory how I ached for you,
Before I really understood,
That glory is a wondrous home
Of peace and brotherhood.

And so dear friends there is a plan,
Don't fear what lies on glory's side.
But grab hold of glory's hand,
And in God's care and love abide.

For tears are gone and joy remains,
On the side of glory,
The celebration can't be explained
Or written in a story.

It's only when you've crossed the line
Into glory's care,
That you'll finally understand
How perfect it is there.

So grab hold of glory's hand,
And in God's care and love abide,
And trust the master's perfect plan,
To find your home on glory's side.

(written by Lorraine Brown/copyright 2006)

~

On our journey from the funeral home to the cemetery, a gentle snow began. The large, puffy flakes were like feathers floating before our windshield. Snowflakes continued to slowly dance before our faces throughout our final goodbye at the grave-site. It was peaceful. I remarked at how pure it was and we reflected on the scriptures and how snow symbolizes purity.

“Has thou entered into the treasures of the snow” Job 38:22

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” Isaiah 1:18

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7

We also reflected on how God provides these moments as gentle reminders that His grace flows freely and His loving hand is upon us through it all.

~

Three weeks have come and gone…  

Like a flash;  a blink of an eye; a vapor…

and so much has changed...

~

THREE WEEKS

~


  “the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh.”
(Psalm 90:9)

“So teach us to consider our mortality, so that we might live wisely.”
(Psalm 90:12)

~

“That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord,"and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 8: 9-10)