My friend Ellen is dying. I've blogged about her before. I'm not in a relationship with Ellen right now. She and I worked together at Camp Roger. In fact, I never considered her a good friend. When she began her fight against breast cancer a couple of years ago, I signed up to receive her Carepages updates. Boy have I been blessed by her. I've been encouraged. I've been humbled. I've been taught. I have found myself pleading her cause before the Lord. I'm not sure why this one has touched me so. Perhaps it is because we have kids who are the same age. Perhaps it is because I think about it being me. Perhaps the Holy Spirit just motivated me to take this on and to pray for her. She is a warrior let me tell ya! This girl has her eyes on her Lord and I really admire the choices she has made in regards to her journey.
She is currently on hospice care. Her time is short. Short. I received an e-mail saying that a group of us who worked with her at Camp Roger were going to meet at her house and serenade her. Serenade is a sacred time at Camp Roger that occurs on the last night of a camp session. After the kids are tucked into bed for the last time, the staff gathers on each hill and sings to them. I suspect that many of the campers are sleeping, but for those who are awake and for those of us who are singing it is a marvelous time of worship. Every serenade begins with I Love You Lord and ends with God Be With You Till We Meet Again.
So we stood in a semi-circle on her front lawn with our arms around each other. Ellen and her dear husband Jack sat in chairs facing us. We sang to our Father while we blessed Ellen. She sang along at times. We all cried. We sang phrases like:
"For me to live is Jesus Christ. And to die would be so much better."
"Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of Glory divine."
"You are my strength when I am weak. You are the treasure that I seek. You are my all in all."
"Nothing will I fear as long as you are near. Please be near me till the end."
"Through many dangers toils and snares I have already come. Twas grace that brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home. Alleluia."
Songs that I hadn't sung in years poured out of my heart. I was filled with the love of camp, with the love of my Lord, with thoughts of heaven. I was sitting in front of someone who will be meeting Christ soon. She will soon be in His arms. Though we are so sad there is also a yearning to be her and so very close to Him.
Last night I also heard some sad news about a friend who is making some really poor choices. My heart cried out for him and his family. The evil one is all around us: through sin and cancer and anger and heartache and and and. . . . God is still bigger. God is still amazing. God is still good. As Jack and Ellen sat together with tears streaming down their faces, I saw her face glow and I saw him watch her. At one point he picked up her hand and kissed it. I stopped singing. I was watching God work and was overwhelmed. A Holy Moment indeed.
God be with you till we meet again.
By His council, guide, uphold you
With His sheath securely fold you
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again.
When life's perils thick confound you
Put His arms unfailing round you
God be with you till we meet again.
1 comment:
Oh, Shanda... what a SPECIAL thing to do for your friend. Wow. So glad you got to be a part of that.
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