Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Greetings from Austin St.

I got a B on my mid-term! Praise God from whom all blessing flow! I am ecstatic!! I still have to write a reflective paper on one of the readings and a personal theological statement of faith and take the final. For the rest of the week I will concentrate on getting my grading caught up as the end of the six weeks is Friday, After Friday I will be caught up with the school I teach I am being observed on Thursday by my principal. It is a yearly thing.

A first grade funny…today we were talking about community helpers and I asked my children to name people who are community helpers. They named: police officers, firemen, trash collectors etc…and then one of my GT students thought for a moment and said, “pizza man?” I just cracked up. It was so funny. But I am pretty sure I agreed with him. So we all agreed that the “pizza man” is a community helper. Gotta love first graders.

Psalm 63: 6 says, “…I think of you on my bed and meditate on you in the watches of the night.” I would love to tell you that I sleep well, but that would be a lie. Last night was one of those nights. I was restless and I seemed to need to pray a lot and my thoughts were not very clear, so I just tried to “Be still” and let God help me sleep. As I was reading my devotional tonight from “The Word in Season”, the thoughts I read were close to my own and they seemed to pen what I had been feeling. So tonight the words are not entirely mine.

The writer was sharing about the loss of a sister. The writer was picturing the headstone at the end of the plot of ground where the sister was buried and asked, “How can a rectangular plot of earth swallow a lifetime of love.” On the marble stone the years of this woman’s life were etched. And the writer asks, “will the darkness of hurt ever end?” And then the writer shares a couple of thoughts. “Time heals, but the scar of separation remains.” Those words hit me like a brick wall. That is exactly how I feel. I would not take Casey from where he is for anything in this world; not even for one more moment I could have with him. But I miss Casey so much it almost takes my skin off. The separation from Casey is the pits! But someday I will spend eternity with him and he can show me the ropes of heaven.

Casey does not have a headstone. But I also do not believe that his 24 years of love is swallowed up in the small box housed in our home. Casey’s love is still very present in so many people and so many things. Scripture says that “death is swallowed up in victory.” I have read those words so many times but I never understood them until I experienced the death of our son. Casey’s body died, but the spirit that made him Casey still lives on in each of our lives. For we still carry Casey in our hearts and thoughts all of the time. The victory is that many people came to know Jesus because of the faith Casey carried with him and shared with others. Jesus death was swallowed up in victory. We have come to know God through the life of Jesus Christ written in the Holy Scriptures and because of the resurrection and the Holy Spirit we keep Jesus alive in our hearts. The victory is that God lives in us because of the life of Jesus and someday we will see Him face to face and live eternally with Him.

Headstones are etched with names, dates and loving words such as “beloved husband and father…” If I ever had a headstone I always wanted to have etched on it these words, “I told you I was sick!” But seriously, headstones are made of solid marble or granite or other such solid stone. I don’t know if I ever will have a headstone or not, but just in case I don’t and my remains are placed in a Starbucks coffee bag (would that be appropriate or what!?) what I really would like others to remember are the words etched on my heart, “Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so.”

Stays dry my friends(it is raining here) and take joy in the journey. Love you, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

1 comment:

Kim Turner said...

Gaylene,

I have been waiting over a week to tell you this. I decided to let your words tell me when the time was right. Casey's legacy could never be summed up on a headstone. The words on the card that I gave you last week are exactly what Casey lived by and what he inspired in all of us. Faith, hope, and love. I would be honored to have the card professionally framed if you so desire.
Love, Kim