Precious Memories

Today was a hard day for the Burns family.  We sat by the bedside of our wonderful Papaw Burns as he took his final breaths on Earth.  The day was filled with tears and memories of what a great man he was.  So dedicated to God and family and church. As I watched him slip away, I couldn't help but remember with fondness how fun he was when I was a child.  Always laughing and telling jokes and simply enjoying life.  He was quite the character, but time and age had stolen his zest for life. He seemed homesick for a place he had never seen, but had prepared for his entire life. 

One of his favorite songs was Beulah Land..in fact, I will be singing that song at his funeral; a request he made many years ago.These pictures were taken at his 92nd birthday.  I will never forget this day, not because we had a great time, or because he got a special gift. The most precious memory I have of this day is the prayer he prayed before we ate the birthday dinner.

 He gave thanks for God's mercy and love and for the family he had been blessed with.  Then he prayed a very eloquent prayer asking God to help him to love people more and to love them the way He loves them, and believe me, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. At the end of his prayer he said the words I had heard him pray hundreds of times in my life...."and we'll never fail to give you all the praise...amen".

I have so many precious memories of my Papaw.  I will hold them in my heart as long as I live. I never hear this song anymore, but it seems so appropriate as I reflect on the happier days I spent with my grandpa.  He was certainly one of kind...I will miss him.


PRECIOUS MEMORIES, HOW THEY LINGER
HOW THEY EVER FLOOD MY SOUL
IN THE STILLNESS, OF THE MIDNIGHT
PRECIOUS, SACRED SCENES UNFOLD

PRECIOUS MEMORIES, UNSEEN ANGELS
SENT FROM SOMEWHERE TO MY SOUL
HOW THEY LINGER, EVER NEAR ME
AND THE SACRED PAST UNFOLD.

AS I TRAVEL, ON LIFE'S PATHWAY
KNOW NOT WHAT THE YEARS MAY HOLD;
AS I PONDER, HOPE GROWS FONDER
PRECIOUS MEMORIES FLOOD MY SOUL.

A Visit to the Cemetery

Yes, I visited Rose Hill Cemetery today.  Well, I actually went there to walk and take some pictures.  I love walking in the cemetery. It's so peaceful and beautiful and I don't think of it as a scary place at all.  My aunt Jean is buried there and my Grandma Burns. I stopped by their graves and paused in my walked to reflect on the memories I have of them.  They were both wonderful women and they are dearly loved and missed by many of us.

I guess the important thing here is that I was only visiting....but someday I will have a resting place just like my grandmother and my aunt.  I have given a little bit of thought as to where I might like to be buried, but I don't give it much thought.  I just assume that my last day on earth will not come for many more years. But it's important to remember that none of us are promised tomorrow.   We are here on Earth for an appointed number of days and then we will go to our eternal home. 

We were told on Sunday that my Grandpa Burns is in the final stages of his life.  Hospice aids and nurses are sitting with him round the clock and we have all been dropping by the nursing home to hold his hand and let him know we love him and are there for him.  I have watched the Grandpa that I love slip away over the last couple of years, but the Grandpa of my youth is still hiding there behind his beautiful blue eyes.  On Sunday as I leaned over his bed, he stared right in to my eyes for what felt like several minutes.  Then he reached over and held my chin in his hand.  I winked at him and he winked back and grinned.  There he was...my Papap, as I used to call him, looking me in the eyes, holding my chin and letting me know that he knew I was there.  I know that he is ready to go as he has been a devoted Christian for nearly all of his 93 years, but my heart is aching at the thought of saying that final goodbye.
 

It probably won't be many more days till I will visit Rose Hill Cemetery to lay the body of my Grandpa to rest beside his wife of 60 years, b ut today was a visit of another sort; to enjoy the beauty and peacefulness, to reflect on loved ones, and to capture a picture or two.

Restless

For several weeks now I have had a restless feeling.  Nothing is wrong, but something's just not quite right.  I just can't seem to be satisfied, but I don't know why.  Then today I came across a beautiful prayer by St. Augustine.  Now, I must admit, I do not have the foggiest idea of who St. Augustine is, but I very much love the prayer he is known for.  This is it:

Let us pray (in silence) that we may grow in union with the One who fulfills our heart's desire.
Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you; so lead us by your Spirit that in this life we may live to your glory and in the life to come enjoy you for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

To add to the revelation I received today, I remembered (and have been meditating on) Pastor Doug's message at church yesterday about being silent in the presence of God...and listening for the still small voice.  He referenced 1 Kings 19:11-13, a wonderful passage that I have read many times and thought how profound to know that in all the chaos that surrounded Elijah, the still small voice of God was still there.

Could it be that my restlessness has been the still small voice of God drawing me to be in His presence? To sit quietly before Him and soak in the beauty of His holiness?  Last night and today, I have purposefully made myself sit in the quiet for a few moments here and there.  Just the thought of resting in the perfect peace of God is enough to make my heart relax and enjoy the quiet moment.  I remember, even as a child, I felt a need to pray and be close to God.  It was a little scary as a child to think of being in the presence of the Almighty God.  Now days it's a much different experience.  It's like a tall glass of ice water after being out in the heat.  It's like putting my feet up after a long exhausting day.  It truly feels like perfect rest, for a restless heart.

Thank you Lord for whispering in my hear and tugging on my heart.  I pray that I will always be able to hear the still small voice of God leading me to a place of rest.
Psalm 23:2  ....He leads me beside still waters...