Two Celebrations of Life
Today I was privileged to participate in two celebrations of life.
One celebrated the life of Paul Thomas in a Memorial Service of his life. Paul was 65 and the father of my dear friend and babysitter extraordinaire, Abby. Abby was also a faithful pray-er for me, long before I appreciated her efforts. She would say to me, "Kathy I am praying for you" and well, it just made me feel uncomfortable. I didn't realize what a gift she was imprting.
Yes, there were many tears and also grief in his passing from this life to the next. But there was also hope; hope that through the bond of faith the family will be reunited in the time and space of eternity. That is the hope the family will hold close that through the bond of Christ this is a temporary separation. We listened to the song by Mercy Me, "I Can Only Imagine" and as I listened I closed my eyes to try to imagine just a glimpse of what that time in a place called Heaven will be like. And how I long to share that with the people I care about.
My dad came with me. He is here for a couple of doctor appointments. It is his turn for health crisis. He has a horrible rash, I mean omigosh red...all over that he had assumed was hives, stress or an allergic reaction to medication. His dermatologist (not Howie) didn't think it was any of them, but was reluctant to venture a guess without biopsy results.
The funeral was tough for him, because he is at an age (80) where he is losing friends. It starts to hit really close to home and brings thoughts of "What am I here for?" "Have I accomplished what I was supposed to in this life?""Where do I go next?" But it also brought connection through contemplation and discussion of these haunting questions, haunting because there is uncertainty in the answers...And also close to home because now he has health issues, and he is scared. But he believes in God, and that is a wonderful connection point for discussion.
The other celebrated my friend Janis' victory over breast cancer. Janis invited several of her friends and supporters through her illness to a high tea. It was just a wonderful event of delectable finger foods, feeling special and celebrating life.
Janis is the last person on the right. So many of her friends from different spheres of her life were there to join her in this victorious celebration.
Now here is something really bizarre. I was talking to a friend of mine seated at this table, while facing the woman in pink. As I was speaking to my friend, I kept staring at this woman, while feeling somewhat confused and disoriented. I was so distracted I couldn't pay attention to my friend I was speaking to. We locked eyes and both came to the same stunning realization at the same time. We were both at Paul's service earlier today. She entered the chapel at the same time we did and sat directly in front of us. It gave me chills. I had to excuse myself from my conversation and get a handle on how we both could be at two such different yet similar events miles (about 50) apart in the course of the same day, celebrating the lives of two special people.
And this is Betty, Janis' mother, who I first met at a writer's conference several years ago. She also recently experienced a serious health scare and the fact that she was here today sharing in this celebration was nothing short of miraculous.
One celebrated the life of Paul Thomas in a Memorial Service of his life. Paul was 65 and the father of my dear friend and babysitter extraordinaire, Abby. Abby was also a faithful pray-er for me, long before I appreciated her efforts. She would say to me, "Kathy I am praying for you" and well, it just made me feel uncomfortable. I didn't realize what a gift she was imprting.
Yes, there were many tears and also grief in his passing from this life to the next. But there was also hope; hope that through the bond of faith the family will be reunited in the time and space of eternity. That is the hope the family will hold close that through the bond of Christ this is a temporary separation. We listened to the song by Mercy Me, "I Can Only Imagine" and as I listened I closed my eyes to try to imagine just a glimpse of what that time in a place called Heaven will be like. And how I long to share that with the people I care about.
My dad came with me. He is here for a couple of doctor appointments. It is his turn for health crisis. He has a horrible rash, I mean omigosh red...all over that he had assumed was hives, stress or an allergic reaction to medication. His dermatologist (not Howie) didn't think it was any of them, but was reluctant to venture a guess without biopsy results.
The funeral was tough for him, because he is at an age (80) where he is losing friends. It starts to hit really close to home and brings thoughts of "What am I here for?" "Have I accomplished what I was supposed to in this life?""Where do I go next?" But it also brought connection through contemplation and discussion of these haunting questions, haunting because there is uncertainty in the answers...And also close to home because now he has health issues, and he is scared. But he believes in God, and that is a wonderful connection point for discussion.
The other celebrated my friend Janis' victory over breast cancer. Janis invited several of her friends and supporters through her illness to a high tea. It was just a wonderful event of delectable finger foods, feeling special and celebrating life.
Janis is the last person on the right. So many of her friends from different spheres of her life were there to join her in this victorious celebration.
Now here is something really bizarre. I was talking to a friend of mine seated at this table, while facing the woman in pink. As I was speaking to my friend, I kept staring at this woman, while feeling somewhat confused and disoriented. I was so distracted I couldn't pay attention to my friend I was speaking to. We locked eyes and both came to the same stunning realization at the same time. We were both at Paul's service earlier today. She entered the chapel at the same time we did and sat directly in front of us. It gave me chills. I had to excuse myself from my conversation and get a handle on how we both could be at two such different yet similar events miles (about 50) apart in the course of the same day, celebrating the lives of two special people.
And this is Betty, Janis' mother, who I first met at a writer's conference several years ago. She also recently experienced a serious health scare and the fact that she was here today sharing in this celebration was nothing short of miraculous.
What a blessing to celebrate and support friends in their grief and joy, in their searching for answers and gratitude. For together being a part of God's family
Labels: aging parents, breast cancer recovery, celebrations of life, death, faith struggles, God's love, health issues
posted by www.kathypride.com at
9:58 PM
6 Comments:
Oh yes! Always be prepared to give a good report!! I'm sorry about the funeral...but some are easier than others. I know my grandma is in heaven, and her funeral is the easiest I ever attended.
Please keep my brother in your prayers (for salvation and COMPLETE healing!) and my mom and other family members who are struggling because of my brother's illness. I don't have time to go into. I trust you will know how to pray! j
Wow, what a beautiful experience! I, on the other hand, celebrated being able to keep down a diet yogurt after a terrible bout of an intestinal virus!:) I am so happy for your friend!
I love the idea of high tea to celebrate! Maybe when I can finally put my own health issues behind me, I can do that too.
This has been a tough week and a half for me. I don't feel I am on a straight path of recovery, which, even though I know is normal, is tremendously discouraging to me. I keep trying to tell myself that 5 surgeries in one year is more than I ever had to deal with in my entire life. And, since I ended up back in the hospital after my first (the actual mastectomy) with a very serious infection, I never have felt quite at ease until that first month after successive surgeries has past. So, once it's the end of November, maybe my spirits will lift.
My own health coupled with Simone's mysterious illness, which continues and has caused her to miss almost two weeks of school, is hard for me to cope with.
Even though I am the Kathy's "before picture" in terms of realizing what a gift praying for someone else is, maybe all y'all (as they say in the south) can spare a prayer for me.
Love,
Katy
Katy,
I will definatly pray for you! I pray that you and Simone would have complete restoration of health, strength, and peace, that you would feel God's love enfolding you.
I'll be praying....
Love,
Pam
The tea was a grand idea, Katy it would be so much fun! Don't be discouraged, and I think it is so neat that you and Pam met when you were up to visit. We'll pray; it is simply talking to God. So we'll talk to God for you, how's that? I was just editing some of the Bible Mom stories and just did the one about Ben standing on the stump and talking to God. Cool stuff...And Jodie (that's Kara) we'll talk to God about your brother too.
Peace.
Thanks. There are a lot of us "standing in the gap" and praying for my brother, Cliff. My mom went up and spent the day with him. He is paralyzed up to his arms now, cannot lift his hands to his mouth (he lost the use of his left arm while I was with him yesterday) and now he needs someone to help him drink. he has a doctor appt Friday morning and my other brother and cousin will be deciding what to do for him. My brother Nick has his medical POA. We are all planning to spend Thanksgiving with him instead of eating.
The really hard thing is that Mom and Dad and I and my dh and kids, and my grandma and Cliff have always done Thanksgiving and Christmas together. My other brothers do holidays with their wives' families. Gma died in January and she and Cliff were real close...and I miss my Gma so much right now--esp with the holidays coming. It's almost inconceivable to me that Cliff may not join us again too.
I will remember to lift you up too, Katy, until you can lift yourself up. There is no better, safer, more truthful place than in God's presence. It's not hard to get there.
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