Good Saturday morning! We are into March Madness in basketball and in our weather, too! We are back to winter temperatures and expect snow Sunday into Monday and then rain and warmer temperatures to add to the mix. Spring is often like that, isn't it! A roller coaster ride. And let's just add life to this description too.
As I sit in my old glider typing away on my laptop I can smell homemade chicken and rice soup simmering on the stove. Joel is off to Gabby Grandpas. We are back to our usual routine, but I can't help but think about last Saturday when we were at my sister Jan's home in South Dakota saying goodbye before heading east. On Thursday we drove nearly 7 hours, checked into a hotel and then went to the visitation for her husband Lanny and family at a local funeral home. On Friday morning we attended the funeral. Joel had the privilege of reading the scriptures for the service. The church was filled with family and friends and those he worked with over the years at Cargill and in the cattle business. We drove an hour south for the graveside service after visiting with extended family at Jan's home beforehand. The 6 years that Lanny battled lung cancer were a roller coaster ride and held very difficult at times. But he was a warrior and so was my sister Jan who was by his side and his caretaker much of the time. He will be deeply missed by Jan and the family. The good news in all this is that he is with Jesus now.
The trip was long (1,150 miles) but uneventful, which is a good thing. Leaving Thursday morning we were home by supper Saturday night. And in the last week.....my 76th birthday on the 20th. STILL here! STILL celebraing! STILL blessed with my Joel, our family, and friends. When death surrounds you, you cannot help but ponder "why am I still here"? And "God, how can you use me for your purposes?"
Actually some of the subject of death and purpose was discussed on the quirky, sometimes risque show Northern Exposure when a man strolled into town and died sitting in the doctor's office. No identification........no one knew who he was. What to do with the body of this "John Doe"? The small town honored him with a funeral. It made me scribble even further into the many unidentified bodies there are in our country buried without their families knowing where they are. 14,000 according to Wikepedia. Seriously sad isn't it. What came to my mind during this scribble was GOD knows where they are. Who they are. It does not give closure to those who wonder and wait but it does give some comfort to my scribbling mind. And it brings me back to our brother in law who was so well known in the cattle business. Senior VP for Cargill when he retired. Half owner of a feed lot. Just very well established and well known in his world. And let us not forget, a man who knew God and believed in prayer. Heaven rejoices.
Speaking of rejoicing, it was great to see my sister Jan's family.....kids, grands, and great-grands. Great to hug on those we knew well and learn more about those we met. My thoughts were how blessed Jan is to have family caring for her. Flocking around her. Blessing her with their love and concern. And so many friends?! What a gift. It is not the same for everyone. But whether we die surrounded by many or few, I believe there are many waiting to welcome us to our forever home.
"Heaven is a wonderful place....Filled with glory and grace. I'm gonna see my Savior's face, Heaven is a wonderful place. Heaven is a wonderful place....I'm going there!" is a delightful old children's praise song we learned at the church we attended in the Philippines on base. It IS a wonderful place!
My Scribbles may sound a bit dark to some today but it is more a pondering about life, death, and what treasures are inbetween. And those treasures have flesh and blood. Family. Friends.
So today as I ponder the life and death we all face, I am giving thanks for my 76th birthday. Giving thanks for the texts, Facebook greetings, and phone calls and a visit I had that day. Grateful for the years I have been blessed with and the many more to come. Grateful for Lanny and the lives he blessed. Grateful for my sister Jan and her loving family and friends. Grateful for her faith that sustains her. Grateful for the safe travel we had, the time spent with loved ones. Grateful for Joel and his unconditional love for me. Grateful for all this and so much more.........
Enjoy your weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment