Come what may….I am blessed.

The day before Easter a sweet friend of mine went to be with the Lord. The thought of her spending Easter with Jesus brought such comfort and peace. At her funeral there were other precious moments to be witnessed. Her daughter who has down syndrome gave her a heartfelt hug and kiss as she said, “Good-bye Momma,” which touched the heart of everyone in attendance and on her announcement was a declaration of her faith that brought a new depth of understanding to communion with God.

Her life’s motto, “Come what may…..I am blessed, along with a poem she had written several years prior were written in the program and read:

These Hands

These hands have milked goats, fed chickens, slopped the pigs, carried water, stacked the hay, weeded the gardens, planted seeds hammered nails and built stone walls.

With these hands I’ve soothed the children, caressed my husband, bathed his mother. These hands have worked to cook their meals, bake their bread, wash their laundry, scrub the floors.

Now these hands are old and worn, marked, calloused and scared, with brown age-spots and knobby, pale blue veins. But these same hands have held the broken body of My Lord, have raised it up in reverence and awe to share with all the people of His church. These hands have touched God’s holiness.

And they and all their common tasks are thus made holy in return.

Her description of taking the communion elements in reverence and awe was the most revealing part of her story. She knew the Lord and was forever changed by her relationship with Him. While her life was not void of hardships, she knew where her help came from and she lived her life as a beautiful example of trust and faith in God. She was able to see the ordinary as extraordinary when done as if for God.

I was truly blessed to spend time with her over the last few years; my life is better from having known her. Until I see you again my friend. You will be missed.