September 24, 2017
One year ago today, Mary left us, although that isn’t the accurate way to say it. She didn’t willfully leave us but allowed her departure to be orchestrated by God.
Scripture says Jesus has the key to death (Revelation 1:18) and that whatever he opens, no one can close. (Revelation 3:7) A year ago he opened death’s door for Mary, and her spirit walked willingly through it, right into eternal pleasure. It was God’s perfect plan for her.
That’s the encouraging thing about a loved one’s passing. If we, like Mary, have loved and followed Jesus in our earthly lives, death’s door is simply a passageway to a glorious new life we can’t possible picture now.
Knowing that, however, doesn’t ease the sorrow in the rest of us. Throughout this day, our minds have been filled with Mary – sweet remembrances and the thousand-and-one-ways we each miss her.
Bervin initiated a time of sharing tonight, to take place at the beach Mary loved so much. A bunch of us gathered to talk and let our eyes freely fill with tears, if need be. From a wide circle of beach chairs, we shared bits and pieces of who Mary was to each of us by way of things we hold dear about her now – memories from silly to serious.
Bervin coaxed Scripture from us by asking if anyone could recall Bible passages that Mom/Grandma had taught them. As 7 young children played in the middle of our circle, the verses came forth. And in reciting those, we remembered how much Mary loved the Word of God.
It’s mindboggling to realize she is now loving THE Word, face-to-face. (John 1:1) And as one of her children said tonight, “She’s also got all the answers to all the questions the rest of us are still asking.”
Later, as we warmed hot dogs over our fire on a perfect weather-evening, the sun set over Lake Michigan. And we concluded that none of us knows who will next join Mary or when that might be.
But if she had walked up to our circle on the beach tonight with a bit of advice from her life “on the other side,” she probably would have said something like this: “Trust God with your life… and death. Study your Bibles. And be sure you say these words to others often: I love you.
“Because after all, you never know…”
“The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.” (Proverbs 4:18)
Thank you for this post as I thought of Mary today. I miss Mary and all she contributed to Moody’s moms group.
I thought about Mary⚘, alot, over the week-end!
My eyes are filled with tears, but my heart is leaping up and down with joy for Mary, and for the assurance we have in Christ. Praise to Him, who led the way into Glory.
Margaret – You are right about not knowing who will be next–or last. After my sister died I thought that we know anyone can go at any time, but we have in the back of our mind that the oldest will go first, down to the youngest.
I have thought about that often when I sit with *any* group of people, whether it is family, friends, or co-workers. Some day I will be at their funeral, or they will be at mine. Not in a morbid way, but to remind me to appreciate them while they/I am here.
I love reading your posts about Mary. What a beautiful legacy she left. And I appreciated your words of wisdom…I need to think this way every day.
Dearest Margaret, this is such a sweet remembrance of Mary. My heart both sorrows and rejoices as I think of my dear friend and your beloved sister. She left us a beautiful example and memories, and so we go on, faithfully loving and serving Christ and others. My thoughts and prayers are with you and her dear family. ❤️🙏
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Margaret, I was given your book 2 years ago. On Nov.20 2014, my husband called to tell me he was “Headed home”. Two hours later I received a knock on my door from sheriffs dept saying he had been in an
Accident and taken to the hospital! Actually what happen was a mile from our house he jumped the curb at a local car wash he went to stopped the car and had a massive heart attack… when I got to the hospital my son who is first responder for Houston Fire Dept who met me there told me it was bad. To shorten the story, after he had coded 7 times it was obvious his heart was too damaged to survive. He died that day 3 days before our 40th wedding anniversary on Nov 23 2014. I joined a widows group in Feb 2015 and they asked me to become the leader in Feb of 2016, because one of the leaders resigned to move and the others had met a man who she is still dating and hope to marry. She is in her early 50’s and wants to remarry. I really enjoy our group and have given your book to so many. I’m still trying to find my way thru all of this. You have been such a blessing. My grief has been very very strong for the last month and seams to be getting worse with our anniversary and holidays coming up. I was a Pastors wife for 40, I don’t know what else to be..
Thank you again….