There was a man standing on the corner of the street last week with a sign that said, ‘God loves you.’ — I am sure it is theologically incorrect in some way, but I was so glad for the reminder. Afterward, I sat in the Kroger parking lot listening to Kathleen Battle sing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ on my cellphone, while the sky turned every imaginable shade of sunset color. Ruben drove me around in the car for a long time that evening, chasing the dying light.
The next day, I wrote a dear friend about how someday those rainbow colors would never die: I would see them forever in the heaven of seeing my Saviour. She wrote me back about how her children had saved all their money to give their pastor a special present, and how the joy on his face was one of those small things that make it worthwhile to be here, while we are.
I found out that another dear friend passed away this week. I have not known many losses in my life; and this one has been particularly painful. For I keep thinking of how many opportunities I lost to make those small gestures of love which are like a sign that says ‘God loves you’. This friend was especially thoughtful about those gestures. He doesn’t need such a sign now; but it would have been a comfort to me to have stood on one of the corners of his life, holding it more often. For that is one of the comforts we have while we are here.
In the face of death we know more than at other times how harsh life can be. My friend of the special pastoral present says that we wrap ourselves up in love, like a blanket. Some days our calling seems very inconsequential. Our calling is only washing dishes, dusting, clearing clutter, making beds – dealing with sick children, running load after load of laundry, making 99 trips to the grocery store. But we are weaving a blanket with all these things to wrap around our loved ones: a blanket they will always be able to hug tighter around themselves the colder it grows. We are standing on a corner of their life they will always remember, holding a sign that says ‘God loves you’. We are making a rainbow for them out of the light of an earthly hour, so that even though this is only Kansas, they will know a little bit of what it is like to go home.
8 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 13, 2012 at 6:22 am
Rubyy
Beautiful thoughts Heidi. ♥
It is that picture of Heaven which can sustain us through very dark times. Knowing that there will be no more pain or suffering but most of all that we will be in the presence of the Lord!
Hugs to you in your loss. Losing loved ones is always a good time to ponder our own eternal destination and the death of a saint may touch someone’s life for God in an unknown way.
Wishing you many sunsets and rainbows my dear.
January 13, 2012 at 6:22 am
Ruby
Ooops…gave myself two ys!
January 13, 2012 at 6:24 am
Ruby
Heidi, I wrote a long, flowery comment and called myself Rubyy and it didn’t post.
Hugs to you in your loss xo
January 13, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Heidi
Ruby it did come through! The two yy’s threw a glitch in our glitching system (I noticed clicking on a post the other day that comments associated with other posts will still appear . . . ) and it just needed to be approved. Thank you so much for your kind hugs and your own thoughts. I know you have dealt with your share of loss this past year.
January 13, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Lauren
A very beautiful thought, Heidi… how wonderful that the man with the sign gave you a transformed moment; and you transformed him into a true servant of God by considering him and the transformation.
January 13, 2012 at 9:59 pm
Heidi
You’re always so kind, L.
January 16, 2012 at 12:52 am
virginiasusan
I loved your post, Heidi. I’m so sorry that you have lost a dear friend. I’m glad you will see your friend again. May the Lord comfort you in your loss. Thanks for reminding me once again of our eternal home!
January 16, 2012 at 8:12 pm
Heidi
Susan, it’s a reminder you have often given to me in such an encouraging way. I’m so glad to be going there with you :-)