Sometimes when we least expect it, God speaks to us out of Heaven. They are always turning points.
A week and a day ago I received a phone call that was the harbinger of sad news. My dear cousin had passed on in the night. He was an extraordinary blessing in my life. I felt a deep sense of grief and yet an equal sense of joyful thanksgiving. I didn’t give too much thought to this dichotomy, but its effects continued throughout the week.
The next day, Saturday, I wrote:
Yesterday I received the sad news that my cousin Bob Stier had passed on during the night. I was shocked at this news as I had just a few weeks prior, on Sunday November 6th sat next to him at our Paramus church for our Service for the Departed. For both of us, this service was very special as we remembered the many family members who had passed on before us. Bob was one of the most influential people in my life. He was 10 years my senior and over the years was an amazing blessing for me in so many ways. My first remembrance was when he became an Eagle Scout. That was a significant accomplishment and the precursor to the powerful character that he displayed throughout his life. I saw him as an inspiring mentor. As I reached my teens and early twenties Bob became a spiritual mentor for me. He quietly and gently guided my path of thinking and walking in life. He was able to give me truth even when the truth was very hard to swallow. But with him, his understanding and spiritual wisdom, he gave me the strength to remain faithful and thrive in my spiritual life. I remember the services he conducted always spoke to my soul and had a special way of keeping my feet on the right path. My Sunday in Paramus sitting with him before and during the service was a gift from God for which I have expressed my profound gratitude to my heavenly Father. We spoke of things near and dear to our hearts. Those moments prior to the service were a brief walk together in heaven. I normally would have sat in the front pews that day, in fact that thought ran through my mind. But I thank God that I heeded the more urgent feeling, to stay there next to Bob. In the days ahead, I will be recounting the many blessings, calmly naming them one by one that Bob’s life meant to me. All those little moments, those tender life changing words he spoke to me, will pile up as the treasures he passed on to me. I hope that I can pass them on to others and multiply the gift God gave us in this extraordinary man of God. My love and prayers go out to the rest of our family for this loss. I hope you all can cherish the treasure he was and remains for you.
During the week, I often recalled the special moments Bob and I shared in life. On Friday, a week after his passing I was able to view the funeral service for Bob at our Parsippany New Jersey church because it was on a video link. It was a comforting and inspiring service.
Also on my heart was the service for two babies in our Garden of Innocence, Karen and Bryan scheduled for the next day. My part in the Garden ceremony was the Dove release. All my documents were prepared.
On Saturday morning I left for the Garden of Innocence anticipating what new blessings would emerge from the experience. It was going to be special in a way because one of the babies, Bryan, was named in honor of the son of one of our Garden volunteers.
When I got into my car, I switched the radio from “News” to “Symphony” and listened to the gentle sound of a Mozart sonata on the way to the Garden. As I drove, I once again was in touch with the deep feelings of Grief and Joyful thanksgiving. As I contemplated this dichotomy, I remembered something I had recently read. It was posted on social media and caught my eye. When I got to the Garden I opened my phone and searched for the piece that I had downloaded. This is what it said:
When I read this again, it suddenly became clear to me. The Garden of Innocence has become the place where “Grief that is just love now has a place to go!”
I shared this thought with those assembled for Karen and Bryan today and it brought a sense of peace wherein the dichotomy of feelings of grief and joyful thanksgiving coexist within a loving heart.
Further contemplation on this matter revealed that the great outlets for our love for those who have passed on are the prayers we offer up on their behalf. I firmly believe that our God of love allows prayers that are spiritual entities, to be experienced by those for whom we render them, whether they are for family, friends or total strangers. Imagine the feelings of a stranger, possibly forlorn because they never experienced love in this life, suddenly hearing your prayer for them.
Turning Points
We never know what gift of heaven will adorn our life each day. Sometimes we just need to escape the “news” of the day and find a “symphony” to settle our spirit and open our ears and eyes to the gift of God and embrace His message for us today. This day’s turning point for me drove that message home once again.
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