Saturday, January 24, 2009

Happy Friday!

Our dear friend, Deb Koplen, passed away this morning around 7:45 am as I was arriving at school. The seizure Deb had last evening changed the course of her condition dramatically and she continued to decline throughout the night. The services for Deb will be on Tuesday, 10:30 am at St. John Lutheran Church in Grand Prairie, Texas. Her beloved “Miss Chips” will attend the graveside service and then she will go and live with a new family in Grandbury.

In my two very recent experiences with the disease of cancer, I have learned many things. But two things have run parallel with Casey and Deb. First, cancer does not know race, faith, wealth, poverty, youth or age, surrounded by family and friends or alone. Cancer simply seeks a host. Second, cancer is unpredictable. On Monday morning, Deb was her usual sassy, order-barking self and today she has gone on to glory to be with the Father. And as sad as we are at the hole left in our lives by this lively, dog-loving, order-giving, worshipping, handbell-playing friend, we know that she is with her parents, Casey and all who have gone before her. She is now surrounded by the family she missed while on this side of heaven.

Isaiah 6:1 says, “In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.” When Isaiah had this vision he received a vision of Jesus as He really is and as we will all see Him when we leave this earth and meet Him face to face. This may be a vision of Jesus at the end times or it may be a vision of Jesus at our end time and how we will see Him forever in glory. I don’t know, but I like to think that Deb and Casey see Jesus in glory high and lifted up all the time now and they worship Him in spirit and truth and are witness to His glory. We are the ones who are sad because we miss them, but they are not sad. They have been washed in the healing streams and all traces of cancer, sin and this earthly life are washed away and they both stand before the Father whole, happy and filled with the glory of God.

Deb’s last complete sentence to me on Wednesday was “They can’t stop me from seeing Mama.” I told her that nothing could stop that now. She missed her parents so very much and her parting line from this earth is “We Three Through Eternity.” We mourn the loss of our friend, but rejoice with her as she is reunited with her parents and is in the presence of the glory of God. I think she took joy in the journey. Let us, too, take joy in the journey even through tears and loss, for the “weeping may endure through the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Wake up in joy with Jesus as Lord of our lives.

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, 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.

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