Monday, June 02, 2008

There are certain women you look up to, certain women you want to be like "when you grow up." They are fun. They tell good stories. They are glowing with love for their Savior. They are your friends as well as people to admire.

So when you get a phone call saying that one of these young 70-yr-olds or 80-yr-olds has passed away, what can you say? If it's relatively unexpected and this lovely woman was bopping along through life in pretty decent health, all you can think is, "NO." But "no" doesn't change it. "No" doesn't make it any easier that Armin and Harlan and Mel and Dorothy aren't joining us for Thursday morning Bible class any more. They're missed. "NO" is not the right response. But "no, it cannot be" is about all I can think right now. Again.

I used to think (back when I was young, and when 50 or 60 seemed "old") that it was odd when you'd see an obituary for an 83-yr-old, and it said that the person "died unexpectedly." I would think about how old the person was and wonder HOW death could be unexpected. But boy, in the last few years, I sure have learned different!

2 comments:

  1. We've recently experienced the unexpected loss of a nonagenarian. I was also a little mystified by my own surprise.

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  2. I felt exactly the same way when I got the call today. Shocked first though, because I thought the tone in Julie's voice meant Grandpa had gone to heaven. I'm sure we'll see you Wed. when we celebrate Dorothy's new life in heaven. So sad for her family - even if she has lived that long and full life...

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