Goodbye, Renee

This morning, I went to a memorial service of a wonderful mother, wife, woman. She wanted the service to be upbeat and positive--and it was. She truly was a generous, loving, giving, fun person. And she died so quickly...diagnosed in July 07 and died in March 08. It happened too fast.

I came away wondering why it is that at services like this I have a twinge of regret. "She was amazing; I wish I'd known her even better." And then I start to make promises to myself that I'll be a better friend to the friends I have now. I can always do better.

My friend RoseAnne said once that eternity is like a book--and our life here on earth is like an itty bitty period in that book--compared to the rest of time.

Renee's short time on earth is over. But now she's with Jesus forever--the Savior she loved and lived for. We'll miss her here.

Comments

[Larry Shallenberger]

I'm sorry for your loss, Chris.

You memorializing her here is an evidence that you were a good friend to her.

[Chris Yount Jones]

Thanks, Larry.
At breakfast today with my husband (the only time we could grab a "date" this weekend), I said that I'm not even sure what question to ask. The tried and trite "If you had only a year to live, how would you live it?" doesn't seem sufficient when I consider that if someone is battling cancer, that person lives that year battling for life. So what is the question: "How should we then live in light of death coming someday?" I read a kind of disturbing verse recently (but in essence so true) that "death is the shepherd of us all." (Psalms in the Message) In light of that Scripture, I wish I could make daily decisions that reflect that I truly understand that my days are numbered here.

[Lisa Burney]

I stood by as my best friend's husband faced a short, but amazingly inspirational battle with terminal cancer. Before the diagnosis, he was a very private man in many ways, especially regarding his faith ...so much so that many wondered about his salvation. His diagnosis transformed him. He opened up to friends and family, laughed more, began expressing appreciation for even the smallest act of kindness, and became open about his faith. In his darkest days, he would turn away visitors, but never turned away those of us he knew would pray with him, always asking for prayer before we got a chance to offer it.
That's how I'd like to live the rest of my days.

[Chris Yount Jones]

Thank you for "standing by" your friend and her husband. I will forever be grateful to those who knew how to stand by me when my husband died.