http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%204:13-14&version=NIV1984
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+90:12&version=NIV1984
Beth called me this afternoon at the office. She had received a long-distance phone a few minutes earlier. My aunt Eleanor had passed away this morning. She was less than a month from her 87th birthday. Her passing was expected and yet unexpected. When a person is almost 87 you know that they aren’t going to be around too much longer. So in that way it was expected. On the other hand, it wasn’t like my aunt had been ill. In that way it was unexpected. As she got into her 80's my aunt's legs didn’t function properly. So she had to give up driving and use a walker. This was very difficult for her. Back in the day, my aunt drove a car at a time when most women didn’t. And she also worked at a time when most women didn’t. Then the past couple years her hands became crippled with arthritis to the point where she could barely write. Or use her walker. After living in an apartment for many years she moved into an assisted-living place a little over a year ago.
Quite unexpectedly, my aunt’s passing brought an unexpected wave of grief to me. I suppose part of this is due to the fact that, except for my mom, she was the last person who knew me as a child. She has been around ever since I can remember. Now she's gone. This is the harsh reality of getting older. Things change. And you can never go back again. Another aspect that made her passing difficult for me is the timing. Recently I had printed some pictures of our grandchildren and had them sitting on my desk at home. Earlier today I brought them with me and was making some notes on the back of them. So that she would know who was who. I was going to mail them to her. Today. Right in the middle of making those notes I received the call that she had died. Wow. I guess I was a little late with the pictures. I know she would have loved seeing them. I was also going to send her some CD’s of my sermons. I’d sent her some a year or two ago and she really enjoyed listening to them. So the news of her passing put a sudden halt to my plans. Too late. That is what makes me sad.
On the positive side, my aunt was ready to go. Her husband had passed away 30 years ago. Her parents were both gone. And her only sibling, my dad, had passed away 5 years ago. At this stage of her life, outside of my dad’s children, there just weren’t many people left in her life. As a result, she wanted to die. We talked about this quite frequently whenever she would call. She couldn’t understand why God hadn’t taken her yet. I tried to explain that God wasn’t finished with her yet. That there was still some purpose for her life. She struggled to accept this. The good news is that I believe that she was prepared to meet God. Several times in the past we talked about Jesus and salvation. She had put her faith in Jesus as her Savior but she seemed to lack assurance. Right up to the end she was ‘hoping’ that she’d make it. Well, now she knows that she’s secure.
Quite unexpectedly, my aunt’s passing brought an unexpected wave of grief to me. I suppose part of this is due to the fact that, except for my mom, she was the last person who knew me as a child. She has been around ever since I can remember. Now she's gone. This is the harsh reality of getting older. Things change. And you can never go back again. Another aspect that made her passing difficult for me is the timing. Recently I had printed some pictures of our grandchildren and had them sitting on my desk at home. Earlier today I brought them with me and was making some notes on the back of them. So that she would know who was who. I was going to mail them to her. Today. Right in the middle of making those notes I received the call that she had died. Wow. I guess I was a little late with the pictures. I know she would have loved seeing them. I was also going to send her some CD’s of my sermons. I’d sent her some a year or two ago and she really enjoyed listening to them. So the news of her passing put a sudden halt to my plans. Too late. That is what makes me sad.
On the positive side, my aunt was ready to go. Her husband had passed away 30 years ago. Her parents were both gone. And her only sibling, my dad, had passed away 5 years ago. At this stage of her life, outside of my dad’s children, there just weren’t many people left in her life. As a result, she wanted to die. We talked about this quite frequently whenever she would call. She couldn’t understand why God hadn’t taken her yet. I tried to explain that God wasn’t finished with her yet. That there was still some purpose for her life. She struggled to accept this. The good news is that I believe that she was prepared to meet God. Several times in the past we talked about Jesus and salvation. She had put her faith in Jesus as her Savior but she seemed to lack assurance. Right up to the end she was ‘hoping’ that she’d make it. Well, now she knows that she’s secure.
What are the things that I take away from this? First of all, I am reminded that life is short. Very short. This is why it is so important for people to put their faith in Jesus as their Savior. Because to die without having done this is to perish. To spend eternity in Hell. Secondly, because life is so short, it is critical that we make the most of the days that God has given us. To be salt and light to people around us. Thirdly, we need to pay more attention to our relationships. The reality is that we all have a tendency to take family & friends for granted. We assume that they are always going to be around. But they won’t. So we need to make sure that they know how much we love and appreciate them. We need to hug them. And encourage them. And stay in touch with them. Both verbally and in written form. This way we won’t have any regrets when they pass from this life.
So, good-bye aunt Eleanor. I’m glad that you’ve made it safely home. Thank you for all that you’ve done for me over the years. And thank you for allowing me to give back a little bit to you.
Lord, thank you for the family and friends that You have placed in my life. They are a source of blessing, strength and encouragement to me. May I love and appreciate them and not take them for granted. May I be a source of blessing, strength and encouragement to them as well. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
So, good-bye aunt Eleanor. I’m glad that you’ve made it safely home. Thank you for all that you’ve done for me over the years. And thank you for allowing me to give back a little bit to you.
Lord, thank you for the family and friends that You have placed in my life. They are a source of blessing, strength and encouragement to me. May I love and appreciate them and not take them for granted. May I be a source of blessing, strength and encouragement to them as well. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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