What do you do with a full heart? My pastor and his wife drove us to Louisiana and back over two plus days- pulling in to my driveway at 1:30 something this morning. Fog-laced highways, Christmas songs, praise music, conversation the background amid return reflections…
Before heading out… prayer requests for smooth travels, blessings over their family, consolation through our fellowship… I wanted to hug her 80 year old husband’s neck, tell him thank you for their friendship again, commend him for his faithfulness in caring for his increasingly bed bound wife these last 4-5 years. Teaching me not just with his words, but by example.
She was a green thumb and taught me a thing or two about plants, gifting me one that is still thriving (no thanks to me, Snake plants are nigh indestructible). I took a Christmas tree-shaped lavender, its aroma a small picture of the praise she always carried to her Creator. Chimes for her husband, a more lasting memorial wind song.
Several of you saw the small nativity I made… modge podge and words of God gluing Word to wood. It was the only nativity I had, having given my set away during our move last April.
Our son was able to return to light duty at work which changed his plans to fly home for Christmas this year. In a flurry, I shipped his gifts, stocking stuffers, the small Word of God nativity I had made, and some other festive things to let him know how very much he was loved & would be missed.
For a moment the space where the nativity had sat on top of my writing desk-upright piano sat forlorn… then a box of our new books unexpectedly arrived, Ben Avery’s Speculative Fiction Anthology, A Time For Everything. I filled the space with a grateful heart for every unexpected gift the Lord gave this year. A. Time. For. Everything. Indeed.
But her husband had one last request from Judy to give to me, a nativity set.
I had already been crying… I cried more. So much more. The Lord knew before I sent mine to my son the hole that would be left. Not just for the things seen, but for the absence of family members, friends. He knows everything. When I unpacked my car this morning and brought it inside, nestled in the box was a familiar Christmas card silhouette of the Three Wise Men on their journey.
I turn it over looking for the sender thinking to return it… it was me and Lane.
Tears of gratefulness over our Lord’s tender care of Ma’am, her husband, her sons, grandchildren, great grandchildren- and all who came to her memorial service! He is oh so near to the broken hearted.
Thank you for your prayers for our Christmas journey and thank You, Lord, for Ma’am.
