7/9/9 update - One neighborhood, endings and beginnings

Just wanted to update you on what happened at our last get together, 7/9/9. We spent a fabulous evening together. We started out at a friend of mine’s house – her name is Linda Johnson. She has been through a myriad of problems in her life and I have had the pain and pleasure to walk with her through many of them. In the last few years, her lungs have been failing. She was recently discharged from the hospital to Hospice care – with a relatively short time to live. She has 2 boys – one of whom I met while she was in the hospital and the other of whom I have never met. We have prayed for them many times in my office. Linda has had a amazing look at life at its end and has such an amazing love for God and what He has done in her life that I wanted to share with her and Grant one last time and share her life with More than more.
We all filed into her house, the kids seizing upon her cat, George. We talked and enjoyed each other, Linda, Grant, and Linda’s sister-in-law Lisa. We shared simply some lightness and then took a miniature time to enjoy the coolness of God as we talked about the how amazing the skin is.
We talked about goosebumps and how each of these, when they occur, is simply a tiny little muscle contracting, causing heat – and warming you up, by the thousands of these little contractions all in concert with each other. Sweating, on the other hand, is your skin’s reaction to heat – and by giving off the liquid of the sweat, your body increases its ability to evaporate off heat, thereby cooling you quickly. This amazing system was given to us by a loving God who wanted us to survive in many and varied climates and situations. It was created. Take this and all the other intricacies of the human body and try to convince yourself that there is no creator – that all of it is simply coincidence, or accidental, and you very well may laugh out loud – it is so implausible. It is far more likely that you will be awed and filled with wonder. Don’t battle that, simply thank God – not a big fancy prayer, but words from your heart, of appreciation for amazing and complex and wonderful you are made.
Then we shared homemade bread and juice (thanks Becky!), those of us who have decided to have God be a part of our lives, giving thanks in it for all He has done for us, and those who haven’t decided yet, just enjoying bread and juice. It was a wonderful time.
I must tell you. Not too long before we were there, Linda, who was in misery as her lungs failed her, and on many meds to ease her pain, awoke with a smile and called for Grant. He went to her and asked what was up. She replied, “I’m going on a journey. I’m going home,” with a peaceful look on her face, and then “But I need to have communion first,” and she went back peacefully to sleep. This is what we provided to her.
Grant remarked that she was much more peaceful after we left and then on Sunday morning 7/12/9, she died – completed her journey and went home. I know this may sound far-fetched to some of you, who were not there – even mystical – and it is, in some ways. But it touches the wonder of what we are – not some accidentally occurring no purpose creatures – but wonderful and beautiful.
We then trimmed weeds around Linda’s house and cleaned up and then proceeded to one of her neighbor’s house – a single mom of 2 with one on the way. We spent the remainder of the evening cleaning up the yard, playing and having fun, cleaning lights, changing bulbs and even changing some light fixtures and power washing her garage floor. This was wonderful. She got a chance to see that the love we and God have for her. It was way cool!

We all went our separate ways then, basking in a life that is not haphazard and meaningless, but full – and wonderful.

We will be getting together again this next Thursday at McAllister Center – 20th and Schuyler Ave – Lafayette, 6:45-8:00PM. Hope to see you there!

By the way – beginning tomorrow is our weeklong MTM mission trip to Lafayette – Community outreach. We will be at Howarth Center – 18th and Union St’s Lafayette, 8-6 approximately each day – you are welcome to join us.