Family, Friends and Funerals

Pixie is 11 months old today. She was Tonia’s puppy for 6 weeks. She is a delight to have around the house. She loves the snow. She rolls around in it and buries her nose in it, she even chases snowballs. Tonia picked a great dog to have, she would have had so much fun playing with her and taking her for walks. Now she is my puppy. She sleeps ON my lap, all 36 pounds of her! She follows me around from room to room and every day she needs to have her tummy rubbed. She loves to be touched. She is one more reminder of my sweet daughter. Tonia, she is such a good dog! A gift!

Today I had the honor to attend the funeral of a dear friend’s sister. It was a beautiful time of laughter and joy and singing. Diane sang the song, “Amazing Grace/ My Chains Are Gone” by Chris Tomlin. It was such a tribute to God and to the new life her sister had found when she accepted Christ into her life. She sang of the chains that were gone from her sister’s life and the grace that had released those chains. Stories were shared and laughter rang out throughout the room. What a beautiful tribute to her sister’s life!

Before the funeral I had lunch with a new friend. We are in Grief Share together and we decided to meet for lunch to share more of our lives together. It is interesting that the best relationships I have are those that have developed with our sharing our lives, our thoughts and even our tears. We have intertwined our lives with the intimacy of sharing. I heard about the father that she had lost last year and the sisters who shared such special times as they said good-bye to their father. They were all at his bed side as his friend prayed over him and told him that it was okay to go home to heaven. As he took his last breath, they all watched as his soul left this life and crossed over into eternity. They laughed and cried, celebrated and mourned together. What a beautiful moment they shared…together.

Together: both of these events were precious and intimate because of the hearts that became as one. God created us to share each other’s joys as well as sorrows. Together we become sisters and brothers in the family of God and it is good! How empty life would be without the love and caring and sharing that we all have the privilege to be a part of.

So today a new friendship/ sisterhood became stronger and enriched and another family member’s life was celebrated even as we said good-bye. The family of God is such a huge bonus! We not only become set free through the grace of Christ but we gain a love that is so rich and so intimate that it can lift you up through the darkest nights and enfold you in the loving, physical presence of God. Amazing Grace how very sweet the sound, as my chains have been set free.

Are you part of the family?