Sparkling Even When I'm Grieving ...

A couple days ago, we laid my sweet Nonie to rest in peace that passes all understanding. She had been my Grandma for over 50 years. It was a beautiful spring day in Arkansas and the pink dogwoods were in full bloom, her favorite color. As I stood by her grave site my heart was so full of memories from days gone by. As they lowered her box of ashes into the hole in the ground, I was struck with the thought, "oh my goodness, what if THIS was all there is? What if this was the end for my Nonie? In the end, what if all of life was reduced to a pile of ashes in a cardboard box?" But these words kept coming to me over and over again, "we grieve, but NOT as those who have no hope". When I was in college I remember distinctly one day reading a little devotional during my lunch break. It was all about prayers that seem to go unanswered and the author's solution to that was to write your most heartfelt requests on papers that are in the shape of an egg and then tuck them away in your Bible for God to "hatch" when His time was right. I felt particularly burdened for my Nonie at that time. She had recently lost my Papa and her life wasn't giving me any comfort as to where she stood with God at the time. So I wrote Nonie's name on a little egg and tucked it away in my Bible. I would come across it now and then and offer my request back up to God but years went by with no visible proof of God's answer. About 7 years ago, Nonie and my brothers and I planned a Surprise 50th Wedding Anniversary party for my parents. As the day approached, I flew down to Arkansas and the plan was that I would stay with Nonie for a couple nights while we finalized the preparations and then after the party I would go on to stay with my parents. Honestly, I was really dreading sleeping at Nonie's house. It was a one bedroom apartment and I knew that I was going to have to sleep with her and I knew she SNORED. So, as bedtime got closer, I feigned sleepiness hoping that I could sneak off to sleep before she came to bed and maybe I would be fast asleep when the snoring commenced. NO SUCH LUCK!! But, here is where God comes in!! As Nonie came in to go to bed, she kneeled down by her bedside and prayed out loud, "Dear God ~ Thank you for the beautiful day and thank you that my Susie is here to stay with me and Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to die for me so that I could spend eternity with you someday." I was blown away! What a mighty God we serve! What a gift to me and a prayer that had been answered after more than 20 years. So, on the beautiful, sunny day as we laid my Nonie's body to rest, I knew in my heart of hearts that I will truly get to see her again someday! Thank you Lord for helping me to SPARKLE even in the midst of grief!