On Death

I have been dealing with a lot of death lately.  Early this year, on old church friend suddenly died.  Last week, a member of Anthony's family passed away.  And yesterday I had to talk to my 4th graders about the death of a member of their class.  God is certainly preparing and fine-tuning my thoughts on death.

At Bible Study Fellowship (love) last night, our speaker reminders us as believers, we do not need to fear death.  I will go over her notes more, but I wanted to share a poem that she read.  It is beautiful, and I def want it read at my funeral.

Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke

I am standing upon the seashore.  A ship
at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving
breeze and starts
for the blue ocean.  She is an object of
beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length,
she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky
come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side say, "There
she is gone."

Gone where?

And, just at the moment when someone
says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her
coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here
she comes!"

And that is dying...




Be encouraged as you mourn,