Holy Ground

 

My father-in-law passed away last week. He'd been in hospice care at his apartment after falling and breaking his hip some weeks back. My husband had been making the six hour round trip frequently since then, but spent most of last week there when hospice nurses told us he was "transitioning to his next life."

When my husband told me that his father had taken his last breath, I told him this:

"Being by the side of a loved one as they are dying is holy ground. The Lord is near to the broken hearted, and He is close to all of you now."

Psalm 34:18 says "The LORD is close to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit."

I know those words brought comfort to my husband and his step-mom.

I know this from first hand experience.

I visited some family graves yesterday. I don't do this often, but sometimes it is good to pause and reflect.

I heard a pastor say that we should not talk about our loved ones in the past tense, as if they were, but in the present tense, because they are...with new life in Christ.

I brought small bouquets. Lavender for devotion, and rosemary for remembrance. The lavender was a start from my sister's garden that she gave me when I moved back home to Michigan. It's dear to me.

It is hard to watch your parents age and see their health decline. Sometimes, we are overwhelmed with the responsibilities. But then we also must remember that our time with them is precious, and we need to make it count.

I told my husband last night that I talk to my mom on the phone almost every day. But when she goes to her heavenly home, it will not be the phone conversations that I remember. It will be the times we spent together, face to face...eating, crafting, laughing, reminiscing.

We need to be deliberate about making time for those moments with our loved ones.

This week, we will be with our loved ones...reminiscing, crying, laughing, holding each other close.

I will pop in soon, as I still have lots of happy things to share with all of you beyond the sad things. And that's life, isn't it? Full of reasons to celebrate, but also times to mourn. 

It is a roller coaster summer.

Blessings, café friends!