Dying Slowly
She knew what was happening. Three years of struggling with pancreatic cancer through surgery, chemo, and radiation had taken their toll. She wrote in her journal, "This is something that I had to face head on. We will all be faced with death as God did not create us to live on this earth forever. . . . Some of us know we are dying sooner rather than later. Others die with no warning. I have had a lot of time to think about death and dying. I know that Jesus will come for me and take me to heaven where I will be reunited with family members who have gone before. . . ."
"Thinking of leaving those I love is painful, but I have to trust the Lord to be their comfort and to take care of them. It is wonderful that the Lord gave us memories so we can think back as promises that help us think ahead. If we know the Lord Jesus, we will be together in Heaven."
"I made a decision that I did not want a funeral mourning my death-but memorial services to celebrate my life and all the Lord has done for me. I know my loved ones will mourn, but I hope it will not be as the world mourns-but as people with confidence that their Mimi is in Heaven with the Lord."
Facing death, Minnie had a tranquility of the soul, not dependent upon her doleful outward circumstances but on her inner strength from God. She told many people who came to talk to her that she had perfect peace within her heart. And she knew where that peace came from. She wrote, "May my family remember that my strength was from the Lord. . . . May the God of all comfort be our comfort. Let's be grateful for all the good years together."
To the very end she wanted to comfort her family and reassure them that all was well. She wrote, "I hope my family will remember that I loved each one of them with all of my heart. . . . The oncologist was clear that medically, nothing else can be done. So I am where I have always been-in God's hands. . . ."
Three things marked my wife's encounter with death: 1) looking to the Lord for strength and finding it there; 2) taking the perspective of eternity, confident that the promises of scripture were true. Two years ago I heard her pray, "Thank you, Lord, for 70 years of good health, strength, and energy. And 3) living life one day at a time, seeking the simple things in life she could be thankful for in spite of nausea, weakness and pain. There were times of respite and enjoyment and pleasurable conversation as her struggles brought us even closer together. She never stopped being thankful. One of the last things we heard her say was, "God has given me so much happiness!"
-Minnie Burnside
"Thinking of leaving those I love is painful, but I have to trust the Lord to be their comfort and to take care of them. It is wonderful that the Lord gave us memories so we can think back as promises that help us think ahead. If we know the Lord Jesus, we will be together in Heaven."
"I made a decision that I did not want a funeral mourning my death-but memorial services to celebrate my life and all the Lord has done for me. I know my loved ones will mourn, but I hope it will not be as the world mourns-but as people with confidence that their Mimi is in Heaven with the Lord."
Facing death, Minnie had a tranquility of the soul, not dependent upon her doleful outward circumstances but on her inner strength from God. She told many people who came to talk to her that she had perfect peace within her heart. And she knew where that peace came from. She wrote, "May my family remember that my strength was from the Lord. . . . May the God of all comfort be our comfort. Let's be grateful for all the good years together."
To the very end she wanted to comfort her family and reassure them that all was well. She wrote, "I hope my family will remember that I loved each one of them with all of my heart. . . . The oncologist was clear that medically, nothing else can be done. So I am where I have always been-in God's hands. . . ."
Three things marked my wife's encounter with death: 1) looking to the Lord for strength and finding it there; 2) taking the perspective of eternity, confident that the promises of scripture were true. Two years ago I heard her pray, "Thank you, Lord, for 70 years of good health, strength, and energy. And 3) living life one day at a time, seeking the simple things in life she could be thankful for in spite of nausea, weakness and pain. There were times of respite and enjoyment and pleasurable conversation as her struggles brought us even closer together. She never stopped being thankful. One of the last things we heard her say was, "God has given me so much happiness!"
-Minnie Burnside
No comments:
Post a Comment