Skip to main content

The Light Shines On

It is not often that one arrives at the cemetery 35 years after the funeral, but this past Thanksgiving Sunday, that is exactly what my wife’s family did.

Sara’s Grandma, Faye, died of Multiple Sclerosis in the early 1970s. In an effort to help other families avoid living through a similar tragedy, the family donated her body to the University of Saskatchewan so that they could do research regarding this disease. A funeral was held and a memorial stone was placed in a cemetery in Kansas.

This past year, however, the family found out that the University had buried Faye in Woodlawn cemetery in Saskatoon and so plans were made to place a stone on her actual grave. To be honest, I did not want to go. I mean, it was 35 years ago! Sure, Saskatoon is the actual spot, but, in reality, what difference does that make? It is just a plot of ground. Why would we bother driving up there just to stand around another stone?

Well, I am glad that I went, because we did more than just “stand around another stone”. In that cemetery, 35 years after her death, Sara and I met her Grandma Faye. Not physically, of course, but, in a very real way, we became acquainted with someone neither one of us had ever met and we were encouraged.

As each of her children told stories about their mom, we learned of her life, her attitude, her joy and, most of all, her faith in God. We laughed. Some cried. All were strengthened by being there. Strangely, more than half of the 30 people at the cemetery were simply friends who wanted to come and honour Faye’s life. Thirty five years later, people still remembered her and wanted to tell their story about who she was and how she had helped them.

The Bible says, “Encourage one another – and all the more as you see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25) and that is exactly what Faye did in her life and, somehow, continues to do today. Obviously, our influence lives on long after we depart.

Initially, I only went because I am part of the family. After having been there, I would not have missed it!

Without ever having met her, Faye reminded me that a life lived in the light of Lord is certainly a life worth living.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    

Consider This.... Which Way Are You Leaning?

   When Ben Patterson agreed to join three friends climbing Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, he did not realize what he was signing up for.  Early in the day, it became clear that he was completely unprepared for the task.  In an effort to keep up with his more experienced friends, Ben took a shortcut.  It did not occur to him that there might be a reason the others had not selected this route, but he soon found out why.  Ben became stuck on the glacier.  He could not move up, down or sideways and one wrong move would send him sliding down a forty-five-degree slope to the valley floor miles below.   That is when one of his friends came to the rescue. His buddy leaned over the edge and carved some footholds in the ice.  He told Ben to step to the first foothold and immediately swing his other foot to the second, then his buddy would pull him to safety.  Lastly, his friend gave him one more piece of advice....

Consider This: The Biggest Problem Is Not Out There!

In a time when everyone has a vocal opinion on everything and judgment is everywhere, maybe we need to reconsider the words of Jesus. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).  Here are two observations to consider. First, when we look for what others are doing wrong, we are starting in the wrong place.  “Take the log out of your eye” is the first move.  Start with yourself!  It is easy to judge others and make excuses for ourselves.  Yet, that is completely backwards! If we are honest, we never get past making ourselves better.  There is always more to do.  This, then, leaves very little time to point out...