"O death where is thy sting?"

Mom loved Handel's Messiah. I don't know when or where she would have been first introduced to this beautiful classical piece of music. She had attended Messiah College when it still offered high school courses many years ago and I can't help but wonder if it was there that she began to appreciate "The Messiah". Having been left some money following her mother's death, she purchased a stereo and then a record of "The Messiah" when I was of age 9 or 10. My first response to hearing Mom's special music, was to intensely dislike it for reasons I'm not entirely sure of. However, eventually I developed a love for it. I love the beauty of the music and the power of the words which have been derived straight from the Scriptures. I have been fascinated by the story of how quickly it was composed by Handel in just 24 days. I have developed the tradition of listening to it every year on Christmas Eve day, which is usually a day set aside for baking mincemeat tarts, tourtiere and other delicacies of the season.

When Mom's health had eventually declined to the point where it was obvious that there would be no return, it seemed only fitting to have "The Messiah" playing close to her bedside. And so it was. Over the hours preceding her death, as her life was slowly but surely ebbing away, the beloved sweet familiar strains of "The Messiah" were softly playing. Her laboured breathing finally came to rest, and the music continued on.

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
1Corinthians 15:55-56

"...finished the course..."

Many years ago when I was a teenager, Mom went away to Western University in London, Ontario to take a course related to her beloved nursing profession. She spent a week or so there, did her studies, then "finished her course."

On June 16, 2008 it could be said again that Mom "finished her course". This time it was a course that was the most difficult one of her life. Over the past 10 years or perhaps longer, her health began to deteriorate. The diagnosis of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy was given and she began a life with many new challenges. Having lost her balance and subsequent to many falls and resulting injuries, she became confined to a wheelchair. Her ability to see was affected due to limitations to the movements of her eyes. Her throat muscles became weaker and weaker causing gradual loss of her ability to speak and swallow. She spent her last 2 1/2 years in Gardenview Long Term Facility where she was lovingly cared for by the staff there. I was able to monitor her condition closely as I am the regular night charge nurse and to advocate for her when the need arose. My Dad, Merlin, lived in an adjacent apartment in the same facility and faithfully spent time with her 2-3 times each day.

But now she has "finished her course". She graduated, she was promoted to a Higher Place, to the place she had been preparing to go to for her whole life - to Heaven to be with her Lord and Saviour and many loved ones who have gone on before.

Beautiful Day in the Garden

Today was designated to be our flower-planting day. We had some purple petunias bordered with a tiny white strip, some fuschia-coloured wave petunias, some fuschia and white impatience and some tall orange marigolds to get planted. I also planted a deep pink azalea bush, two new red rose bushes which we had received as gifts upon the passing of Tom's mother, and a red peony which I had bought as a remembrance of my mother and my childhood home in Springvale. We were thankful that Ali and Aaron were both able to come to help. Tom is not feeling well these days, as he's had some new health issues emerge, so rather than do the planting, he directed the operation. The place looks beautiful. Having had so much rain and cool weather this spring, the lawn is verdant and the perennials are growing nicely. The soil is soft and easy to work in, and the sweet, delicate fragrance of the white phlox which Alicia gave me a few years ago, permeates the garden. What a wonderful day, planting in the garden!

The way home

I took a detour this morning on my way home from work, passing through Mt Olivet. I was looking for a lilac picture - as this area is famous for it's lilacs. However, this scene caught my eye instead.

Mother's Day

Once upon a time there was a very sad, childless woman who was so sad that she decided she could never go to church again on Mother's Day. Like Hannah of old, she prayed and prayed that God would grant the desire of her heart, that is that she could become a mother. God, is His wonderful love, and great sense of humour, answered her prayers...x4...within 4 years.

Thank-you Lord, for my wonderful, beautiful daughters.

Springtime....

While visitng my neighbour on May 12, this tree caught my eye. Spring has been cool this year, with lots of rain. The beauty of pinks and yellows against the background of lush green grass is a lovely sight after our long cold winter.

Sometimes it seems that life is just one continual funeral....

MOTHER'S DAY- After spending a wonderful day with many of our immediate family, (actually 25 us got together), Tom, Lucille and I returned home to relax a bit from our marathon of cooking 60 or so cabbage rolls, a triple recipe of lasagne, and the special chocolate birthday cake. About 1/2 hour later, a call came from Ohio. It was our sister in law, Janice, with some news. Tom's mother, Grandma Harper, 93 years of age, had quickly taken ill and passed on to the gloryland.
After plans were finalized with the need to be sure that all the children could be present (they were coming from Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, Ontario, as well as Ohio), we headed to the Massillon, Ohio area to await Thursday, the day of the funeral. This, despite the fact that as last minute plans had developed on Saturday, our cousin Sherrilin Heise from San Diego, California, only daughter of Mom's only brother, the late Clarence Heise, was visiting in our home. It was arranged that Lucille, visiting as well from Montreal, would take over the hostessing and the two of them would be just fine staying in our home when we left.
The funeral was a sweet and fitting tribute to the life of one loved so dearly by her family.
As we were finishing up her funeral, I made the comment "Sometimes it seems like life is just one continual funeral." We have had one funeral after another in our immediate family over the past few months (Alicia's daughter, Orie, Uncle Bob Solon, Grandma Heise, John Lambert, and now Grandma Harper), and then there have been ones outside the family circle as well. I guess as long as we live, there will people around us who come to the finish line, their race completed. Some have a shorter race ordained for them than others. Pain, separation, and grief are all part of the experience of our lives here on earth. Together as a family, we are managing to walk steadily along through these difficult times. I am so thankful for God's comfort and strength in these times. I am also very thankful for the strength that comes from being a part of such a wonderfully close-knit and supportive family.