Laid to Rest

Yesterday, we laid my maternal grandmother to rest … a simple ceremony back in her (and my mom’s) hometown.

The weather was ominous, as is so typical for a funeral it seems. Cool temperatures, cloudy skies, and even pelting rain and snow marked the day. As we gathered around my grandmother’s headstone where her ashes would be finally laid to rest (15 days after her death), the officiant led us in prayer, reminding us that we are not alone.

As we recited the Lord’s Prayer together, the clouds in a dreary sky suddenly parted, and our bodies were awash with warm sunshine … we were (apparently) witness to the gates of heaven opening up as my grandmother joined her late-husband, her brothers, her parents, and all of the others who had gone before her … we couldn’t help but smile through our tears and be in complete AWE of the moment that was. By the time we left the cemetery, the sky was primarily blue, and the sun continued to shine.

The sudden warmth and the light of the sun on an otherwise cloudy day NEVER goes unnoticed for me … I ALWAYS consider it a “high five” or a “that’s my girl,” a note of encouragement, a “warm hug,” but above all else … to me, it’s surely God providing us with His blessing … we were blessed yesterday, by God and through God. We were blessed with time … time with friends, time with family, and time with neighbours. We enjoyed each other’s company, kind words, expressions of sympathy, and of course, plenty of good food.

It’s in these moments, we are assured once again (as if we need reminding) that we are not alone; God is always with us … through the good stuff, and through the tough stuff, WE ARE NOT ALONE. What a gift it is … what a blessing to be a part of God’s perfectly orchestrated symphony, a part of God’s world. As HE is glorified, so are we.

Thanks be to God.