The last couple of days I have been with my family attending to arrangements concerning my sister’s passing. It has been a time of reconnecting with each other as we have spoken of our loved one. To say that we have spent hours together, that we have laughed and cried as we have sorted through her belongings, and that our grief has turned to joy is not an exaggeration. Our joy has become complete because we can acknowledge that our sister was a woman that loved. She loved her family, her friends, and she loved her Lord.
It is always so interesting to go through the personal things of someone you know well and yet be surprised. Three years ago my sister was in the hospital for very serious heart related issues. As we prayed for her during that time we saw how God sustained her through some very difficult moments. What we also saw was the impression it made on her, on her faith, and how she became a true praying woman. She had many that she added to her list of intercession on a daily basis.
Our surprise the other day was to find letters that my sister had written to each of us from that time. Letters that she had written after she had recovered, but while the freshness of what she had been through was still very real to her. When we found the letters in a notebook, addressed to each of us, it was so special. My sister’s handwriting was always immediately recognizable and you could hear her voice as you read your letter. They were simple, loving, and gently written in a way that spoke volumes.
All of yesterday we met people who have been my sister’s neighbors and friends. All had wonderful things to say about her, stories that were heartfelt, some that were funny, and all spoke of her as being a real person. They said that she was not one to hide her affections, her disappointments, or her anger. She was a person who was quick to defend that underdog and was outspoken when needed. The saying, “What you see is what you get” comes immediately to mind.
The people that Diane lived near were quick to tell us that she will be missed, and that they are saddened by her passing. What we gave to these, in return for their words, was that we know her joy is complete because her days of suffering are done. In our faces they did not see despair, nor despondency. What they did see was a family that was proudly representing a mother, a sister, and a friend.
1 Timothy 4:8-10 NIV For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.