Welcome to Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and to Wednesday’s
Word with Trench Classes United. Today I’d like to share something with you
that our Father gave me just hours before my mother-in-law’s celebration of
life, words that soothed my sorrow and calmed my soul. I pray that if you are
reading this today, especially if anyone you have ever loved has gone on to
eternal life, that you will find comfort in the hope of heaven.
1st John5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so
that you may know that you have eternal life.”
I shared it with my husband who cried after reading it, and
I told him I didn’t know if the family would allow me to share this message,
but I was intent on giving each one of them a copy of what I truly believed He
had given me. He said he would ask.
I stayed in the background as all the siblings gathered
around Uncle Bob who was also the minister for the service, and in a matter of
minutes I heard my name called: “Kim, how long is what you want to share?”
My heart pounded as if to tell me to wake up. “It’s two
minutes, but with crying, probably four.” I tried to smile.
That comment was not met with laughter like I had hoped.
“I’m only kidding,” I quickly responded.
My youngest sister-in-law suggested to Uncle Bob where to
allow me to share, and just like that I was part of the service.
When it came my turn to share, I very shakily made my way to
the podium, and introduced myself and began to read from my heart, stopping
occasionally to catch the tears, or swallow the tears and sometimes both
confident in the truth of the words written through me just hours earlier:
Dear Beloved Mother-in-Law…
How do we do
this, bury you and say good-bye today
We need to accept
you are already gone… absent but present in a new way
You no
longer need a walker, for you have new feet that help you run
There’s no
more arthritis, or any medication for you are now with God’s Son
We need to focus on you as you are
now…somehow
You are now
in a place where there is no more pain and no more sorrow
You are clothed in joy unspeakable forever,
for our every tomorrow
You are able
to look upon us, and see us all gathered here
Every single
one of those who have come from far and near
We need to focus on you as you are
now…somehow
I can almost
hear you say please don’t cry for me; put a smile on your face
I am with
you in a new way because I have gone on ahead to a better place
So as you
gather here today, please try, try, try to laugh more than you cry
Think of all
the wonderful memories shared between you and I
We need to focus on you as you are
now…somehow
She’d want
us to remember we don’t need a reason to gather as family
To continue
doing it even more for that is her gigantic legacy
She’d want
us to grow even closer, set conflicts aside, love unconditionally
That is what
she did…often choosing love over grudges for the sake of family
We need to focus on you as you are now…somehow
Yes, it’s
true that love and sorrow can co-exist, both so powerful in their own way
The deeper
the love, the greater the sorrow; only time will lessen it, each new day
For our loss
is heaven’s gain, and oh what a fun angel heaven has received
And when I
think of how you are now…my soul is oh, so relieved.
We need to focus on you as you are
now…somehow
I love you
deeply, beloved mother-in-law…and to have been loved by you is an honor.
I will
carry with me until I see you again.
Go ahead and
put the name of your loved one in there…doesn’t it add hope to the loss?
All my love
Evinda
