Today, in the USA,
we commemorate MEMORIAL DAY. We pause in
sobriety to remember family members, friends, and military personnel who have
served our nation via the ultimate sacrifice. In the immediacy of the passing of loved ones
(especially in the near-term), our focus rests almost exclusively on the
details of their deaths. We reflect on
the medical emergencies, the hospital admissions, the tragic accidents, those
young lives that seemed to end so prematurely, those seniors whose death might
have been expected but was no less painful, and all the other factors that led
to the eternal transition of those we truly love.
Some losses are so
sudden, so tragic, so monumental, that they shake us to our very core, for
instance a parent’s loss of a child. Nevertheless,
with the passage of time, profound grief may yet morph into joyful memories of
sunnier days and happily shared life experiences.
Today, as you
reflect on the legacy of your loved ones, remember life’s tiny and
unanticipated moments of joy: those mutual smiles broadly shared when good news
knocked at your door, those modest, unplanned, non-holiday gifts, treasured so
much since they sprang spontaneously from the heart, those occasions of
merriment and full-throated laughter when sharing a humorous story or an
awesome success.
Remember with joy
those intimate hours in the warm fellowship of breaking bread together, the
powerful togetherness of shared worship experiences, those
worn-out-yet-comfortable 'house clothes' you did not necessarily like yet s/he
seemed to cling to and dearly love, those unforgettable milestones that make up
every life story, the family trips and vacations, the pure joy of traveling
through time together, the occasional tears and the ever-present triumphs, the
vast array of good days or bad, the discussions, the decisions, and even the
disagreements that make our time on earth a rich and rounded experience.
It all adds up to
something significantly special and simply miraculous: this marvelous human
adventure that we call LIFE. And
it is so much greater, grander and glorious since you shared it with people
that you truly love. So remember to treasure
every single moment of it – with fond memories and with a smile.
Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please
(above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.
Maranatha!
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