I found out today that my dear friend's husband died last night, after a long battle with that dreaded enemy, cancer. My heart aches for her. These two forged the kind of marriage everyone wants, where love shone from their eyes and sparkled their personalities. A love that infused every day of their forty-four years together with certainty and strength, and brimmed over into the lives of their children and grandchildren, as well as all who know them.
We've been friends for years, even though separated by hundreds of miles. Our get-togethers have been infrequent, but we never need to get reacquainted. We pick up as if we just saw each other last week. Now these last months I've been reading the blog of their "journey" since his diagnosis. Her open, honest accounts have moved my heart and enriched my life, broadened my understanding.
These two shared a bedrock, joyful, living faith in Jesus, too. All along this has glued them together and empowered their days, but especially these last months. They've treasured each moment together and simply lived with gusto, making memories at every opportunity. They've prayed for strength and peace, of course. But they've also prayed that somehow they could be a blessing to the people around them. That included their family and friends who came from far and near, caring Hospice nurses, and former co-workers, friends and fellow Christians who've been bringing them meals for months. In more recent times, a faithful group of male friends have rotated staying overnight, keeping watch, so my friend and their family could sleep without need for watchfulness.
This good, loving man died at home, surrounded by his dear ones, as he wished and they wished. As they had prayed, he had a peaceful going home to Jesus. Their young grandchildren had been told that their adored grandfather soon would be leaving earth. A few nights ago one of their beautiful preschooler granddaughters prayed that her "Papa" soon would have fun playing with Jesus and that her "Nana" wouldn't be too sad without him.
So this day is sad for me, but it's also glad. I think how differently this would have played out if this family had only their own strength to draw on through this heart-wrenching journey. And how much more devastating it would be for them to think of this much-loved man's life as simply ... "over."
Christians cherish the sure knowledge that death is not the end, but simply one's last breath on earth. You'll find that truth many times in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. I don't know who coined the term "the Gospel in a nutshell," but here it is:
God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. --John 3:16
Every death reminds us that life is fragile--and precious. Each morning we open our eyes provides ample reason to rejoice! Let's hold our loved ones close and speak the words in our hearts ... while we can.
Let's make every day count!
Lenore
Your comments truly are welcomed!
