A few days ago, Mark and I visited a friend who is dying of cancer.
It was a bitter sweet experience.
I am hesitant to admit that I had a bit of anxiety about our visit.
What do you say to someone who is approaching the end of her life on earth?
Our friend has struggled with cancer on and off for the past twenty or so years.
She has truly fought for her life with every single ounce of strength she possesses.
She has battled back against all odds before and her family was hopeful that she might be able to do it again. She endured a recent round of chemotherapy in a last effort of hope but her body was unable to take anymore treatments.
Time is short.
As I have thought about her life, I have wondered how one could experience so much adversity and yet be so determined to press forward.
Around the time of her first diagnosis of cancer, Marvene's son died in a plane crash. She told me of the unmatched heartache, anguish and deep sorrow that comes from losing a child.
"How do you keep breathing?", I asked her.
"If you get too focused on the negative, you miss a lot of the joy.", she answered.
That pretty much sums up the way she has chosen to live.
Losing a son and battling cancer would make most people want to throw up their arms in anger. Marvene, dropped to her knees in humility and prayer.
She is centered on the good, the lovely, the joyful.
She knows who she is and more importantly she knows who's she is.
She has a very personal, intimate relationship with the Savior.
She has turned to Him and in that process, she has come to really know Him.
I know a lot of good, Christ-like people but none more than Marvene.
She is very near perfection in my eyes.
She is compassion, strength, tenderness and pure love.
So what do you say to a friend who is dying?
The answer for me was simply two words:
Thank You.
Thank you for your example in living.
Thank you for the lessons I have learned by watching you.
Thank you for your charitable heart and rock solid testimony.
Thank you for your friendship.
Thank you for being you, Marvene.
May God bless and keep you.
2 comments:
It always amazes me when people like these cross our paths. Thanks for blogging about that. It was very inspiring.
I feel exactly the same way. She is such an inspiration. She is going to be dearly missed.
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