Upward Gaze

Two years ago, a huge celebration was held and the church was literally filled. Filled with folks who had been touched by the life, love and dignity of suffering portrayed by the life of Sally. We had been married 20 years and three days. She passed from this life to eternity, with her sister, Karen, holding one hand and me holding the other. It is hard to describe the holiness that was present in the living room those four days. I did not know how I would honor this day until I got a phone call from my friend Sheri and she relayed a wonderful story that parallels this one.

Her neighbor and dear friend, MaryAnn, was about to pass away after a long bout with cancer. Sheri had received a call from the husband and he was concerned that MaryAnn would not be able to pass on from their home. Sometime later that day or night, Sheri had a vision but she did what many of us do, dismiss it because, "I must be crazy" or "God does not work that way anymore". Sheri told another neighbor friend about it and then the other neighbor got on the phone. That evening Sheri and the others gathered began to recreate the vision Sheri had "seen" previously. About 20-30 neighbors gathered around MaryAnn's house at dusk, making a circle around it and holding candles. They stayed for about 30 minutes and did the only other thing they could do - they prayed. Prayed for MaryAnn and her family. Prayed that the Lord would bring peace and stability to her body so she would not have to go to the hospital to die. MaryAnn's husband later shared that at the moment they had gathered around their home, peace began to fill her body. Her breathing was no longer labored and it stabilized. I bet he sensed the peace and holiness that was there too. MaryAnn did not need any more pain meds that night and was received into the arms of Christ from that house the next morning.

As a kid growing up in the funeral home, I remember once asking my grandmother, while my brother Tim and I were in the room where the bodies were viewed during the layout, "How do people get to heaven?". Without missing a beat, Mimi said that "Jesus comes down to get them and He takes them there." It made perfect sense to this 7 year old with a burr haircut. One of Sally's favorite TV shows was a little too sappy for me but we rarely missed it. "Touched by an Angel" was all about what Mimi had told me as a kid, portraying how the "angels" would come and take people to their eternal home.

I am a pretty good photographer, but I am a terrible photo editor! I had narrowed it down to three photos of Sally and was going to do a collage until I noticed something about the image above I had never noticed before. Sally is not looking at me, but her gaze is upward. There are too many ways to describe her and the way she loved everyone she met, as well the deep love she had for the Lord. I am not sure I have ever met anyone who was more eager to be at "home" with Jesus. This was even before cancer and it was not escapism. She really longed to get to her heavenly home. May we all grow into the love of Christ that she had and let it be expressed in our love and care for others, balanced with an upward gaze. To my dear Sally, enjoy the dance!!