In Memory of Harold

My bloggin' days have suffered any updates, but I'm moving past that guilt. Praise His merciful, faithful name, God was unsparing in His presence among us at Harold's funeral!

Harold died on Sept 21, following a 3-week struggle resulting from his stroke. Jesus saw he was getting tired and a cure was not to be. So He put His arms around him and whispered, "Come with Me."

Thus starts the funeral procession before the funeral procession. It only took me 3 hours to pack up Kevin's sister Jane (who suffers with Alzheimers). Jane did okay with the travel and funeral, etc. But even as we left Kentucky, she thought we were leaving the family reunion and wondered if that was Harold/Viv in the truck ahead of us!

Kevin did an AMAZING job at giving his brother's eulogy. Everyone was blessed. Everyone. It was like being at service, and then ... oh yeah, you remembered you were at a funeral. God covered him as he spoke. He tied in the good, the bad, and the ugly as only the touch of the Holy Spirit can do. Is it any wonder? It is such a privilege to live under God's faithfulness!

At the service end, I joined my Harley Hubby at the casket to greet the line of final goodbye's. It made me do what I HATE to do in public: the UGLY cry. Geez, I hate that! Nobody looks good doing that. But after Kevin delivered the absolute best message to document and celebrate a life lived, there was no hope of gettin' out of the UGLY cry.

Kevin has burned up the highways making 4 trips to KY to see his brother. His knee hasn't had any time at all to properly heal, and Kevin has certainly paid the price. But again, I'm reminded who paid the ultimate price!

I've learned that it is no coincidence that we were dealing with so much personal stuff lately. Isn't it wonderful that God is IN our lives, and not just there at the END of our lives? He is SO worthy of our trust in every stinkin' detail! In the end, it's BLISS. Forever BLISS. But until then, we can dang' well decide how we're gonna "deal with stuff" till we get there! Dealing with stuff is just a stepping stone to holy!

This past year I have said this 1000 times and I'll make it 1001. You will never meet another face on the planet that has been graced more than me! One thing I am taking home with me from Kentucky is loss. Harold will be missed. And for this season-of-time, I am going to shout to whomever will listen to my face, there is no such thing as serving in obscurity when you belong to Jesus. He is attentive to your labor. He is attentive to your CRY. It MATTERS.

Sweet peoples, there is NO ONE on earth God notices more than you. He knows that the situation you are in is not the easiest place on the planet to serve Him, but He sees you doing the thing day-in and day-out. Thank goodness we have an example of a man after God's own heart.

Good Bye Harold. Forever BLISS is yours!