Tuesday, September 3, 2013

For Anne and Allison...


I have fought the good fight, 
I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 
And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness...

I learned this afternoon that the niece of a dear friend went to heaven...the daughter of my daughter's piano teacher...a cousin of someone I watched grow up with my children.  A wife, a mother of three, a daughter, and a shining light of God's grace through the battle of her life with cancer...Allison Kura Armstrong.

It's barely been a month since my mother, Anne Powers, took her last breath...and I chose my image for Texture Tuesday to be from the rose I kept from the spray on her casket.  A wife, a mother of three, a daughter, and also a shining light of God's grace through a 14-year trial enduring Alzheimer's disease.

I have been with loved ones in their final hours before death...including my parents...or as we say where I work, "at their end of life."

As I read the last post from Adam, Allison's husband, and reading tributes written by her Aunt Sue and cousin, Tara...I replayed the July 31-August 1, 2013, being at the bedside of my mother as she finished her race.

While death for us is painful as we see those who love leave us, I believe, as I experienced with my mother at her bedside, that we are privileged to witness a miracle...to be on holy ground.  My finite human mind cannot get its arms around what occurred in that room with my mother...or the room with Allison where her family surrounded her...as death drew near.  I KNOW that realm is more real than the world we see.  Most of all, I know it was the completion of their redemption, the perfection of their faith, God's finished work, the bride and their Bridegroom reaching out to each other...to be separated no more.  A miracle of unfathomable love.

I am ever so grateful to tears to hold on to that same hope and certainty.


8 comments:

  1. Denise, you are one amazing writer - expressing about death is very difficult for me. As I read this with tears, as this week is the 5th anniversary of my own mother's passing...she fought the good fight and went home to be with her maker. I'm sorry for the loss of your friend, and your mom. Lovely, lovely flower and beautifully textured!! xo

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  2. We do miss those desperately but you have the most profound way of speaking the awesome truth of death.

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  3. Very profound, Denise. Compassionate beyond words. It's something that is sometimes so hard to get our heads and hearts around, isn't it?

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  4. Lovely remembrance. Thanks for speaking in such positive terms.

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  5. Lovely remembrance. Thanks for speaking in such positive terms.

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  6. So Beautifully written and so much from your heart of how it is. I was with my Step Dad when he passed and I too know there is much more than the final death and they do enter into a Kingdom and not alone.
    Much Love .

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  7. This made such an awesome card, beautifully done. You can tell so much thought went into this. So sorry.

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  8. This is a preciously truthful post. I also read Adam's last post, just to get to know Allison a little bit.

    May God continue to comfort her family - and yours,

    xoxo

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