Crossover
My Liz Taylor-beautiful cousin died on Saturday. She was 62, and died suddenly, although she had been diagnosed several years ago with serious heart problems. Her doctors asked her then if she wanted to be put on a heart transplant list. She declined. Since then she was able to live a fairly normal life, with occasional crises. Her vigilant husband tried to prepare for the worst and hoped for the best.
I had seen her in June when I attended her mother's funeral in Iowa. She had white hair then, instead of the black hair I remembered best, but still those same merry blue eyes, and looked well and told me she feels well. We walked around the yard of her sister's home together and admired the plantings. She was a little worried about the plants she had moved outside just before she left her New York home for the trip to Iowa. There had been a frost in New York after that.
Ella and I shared the honor of having been named for the same grandmother.
One of the few times I saw Ella in recent years, I was struck by how much she seemed like me. She loved the outdoors, and her sister had once told my mother that Ella was ADD-ish--something I can identify with. Her outlook on life and her manner of relating to others seemed very familiar. She even had some of the same health challenges I've had--low thyroid function is the one I remember. She did some writing--not blog posts, but letters to the Budget.
And now she has died, while only six years further along in life than I am.
I am not planning to die six years from now, although this is assuredly not in my power to determine. I for sure don't have a chance of accumulating 27 grandchildren before then as Ella did, but I'd like to accomplish other things.
I'm reflecting on the the fact that doing what I can now to preserve the measure of good health I enjoy, while not always easy, is easier than correcting health that has already failed. Crossing the great divide of death means ultimate and final healing for the child of God, but to hasten that crossover by careless living is to dishonor the Lord now.
As Ella and her husband decided some time ago, the time of our departure is best left in God's hands. That didn't keep them from seeking good health long before they knew about Ella's badly damaged heart, but I believe it helped them act to make the best possible use of the remaining time they had together.
The youngest of Ella's nine children turned 21 earlier this year. While no one would pretend that she was not still desperately needed by her family and others, having passed this milestone in their family's life speaks to me of the mercy of God in orchestrating the events of all of our lives.
I had seen her in June when I attended her mother's funeral in Iowa. She had white hair then, instead of the black hair I remembered best, but still those same merry blue eyes, and looked well and told me she feels well. We walked around the yard of her sister's home together and admired the plantings. She was a little worried about the plants she had moved outside just before she left her New York home for the trip to Iowa. There had been a frost in New York after that.
Ella and I shared the honor of having been named for the same grandmother.
One of the few times I saw Ella in recent years, I was struck by how much she seemed like me. She loved the outdoors, and her sister had once told my mother that Ella was ADD-ish--something I can identify with. Her outlook on life and her manner of relating to others seemed very familiar. She even had some of the same health challenges I've had--low thyroid function is the one I remember. She did some writing--not blog posts, but letters to the Budget.
And now she has died, while only six years further along in life than I am.
I am not planning to die six years from now, although this is assuredly not in my power to determine. I for sure don't have a chance of accumulating 27 grandchildren before then as Ella did, but I'd like to accomplish other things.
I'm reflecting on the the fact that doing what I can now to preserve the measure of good health I enjoy, while not always easy, is easier than correcting health that has already failed. Crossing the great divide of death means ultimate and final healing for the child of God, but to hasten that crossover by careless living is to dishonor the Lord now.
As Ella and her husband decided some time ago, the time of our departure is best left in God's hands. That didn't keep them from seeking good health long before they knew about Ella's badly damaged heart, but I believe it helped them act to make the best possible use of the remaining time they had together.
The youngest of Ella's nine children turned 21 earlier this year. While no one would pretend that she was not still desperately needed by her family and others, having passed this milestone in their family's life speaks to me of the mercy of God in orchestrating the events of all of our lives.
posted by Mrs. I at
7:02 AM
2 Comments:
Durlan and Delon? I know their sister real well!!
Are you Linda and Ronnies sister? I got to know them some years back at FMH.
By
Anonymous, at 10/08/2008
Linda is my sister, and I have a brother we've always called Ronald or Ron. He never worked at FMH but my brother Lowell did for a short time. My students Durlan and Delon were not in the same family, although they had the same last name.
By
Mrs. I, at 10/09/2008
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