There are certain things in life that tend to wake us up to the reality of what is....and one of those things is the expiration of a physical body. Somehow it makes you realize just how precious and yet how short our earthly life really is. The thought makes some people flinch, makes others shed a tear or two as they think about those who have passed on.
You never really realize the impact somebody has on you until they are no longer there. We have this egotistical view in this world where we think about the impact that we have on others -- but the true measure comes when somebody has passed on and learning just how much of an impact they had on you -- and you hear the countless lives they have touched by just being who they are.
My heart is saddened by the loss of an incredible lady, who lived an incredible life, and used her life to touch others. She faced many hurdles in life but was determined to not let that hold her back in life. She truly lived life to the fullest. She was somebody who enthusiastically served wherever and whenever she could. When I think about Mrs. Lisa I think determination and perseverance, I think kindness and gentleness, I think of a lady who spoke few words - but they were full of wisdom. That wisdom that she shared with us, will live on as a legacy in the hearts of each of us.
For me I am constantly reminded by some wisdom she shared with us in the last bible study that we all did together -- I don't remember the physical spot in the study or the specific page number, but I remember the question Mrs. Lisa asked, and I will always remember it. That is the moment in time that her wisdom softened my heart and opened my eyes. The study for that particular week dealt with times when we cry out to God and ask where he is....when we feel like He has abandoned us....and this is what Mrs. Lisa shared -- "When it feels like God is far away, you have to stop and ask yourself who moved? Because God is always with us." This was so p-a-i-n-f-u-l-l-y convicting, but perfectly timed and so right on for what I was going through in life. Then when I sit back and think about that statement and what it means to me and what I was struggling with, I am also humbled by the reality that she was sharing this wisdom while battling cancer and having been blind since birth.....I never heard her complain. She always had a smile on her face.
When we return to our little room for our Thursday morning bible study, I know it will be hard for me - not seeing her where she always sat will be difficult and not having her physical presence will be ever present at that moment in time. I am grateful for the time that she was with us and the time that was spent in our group, we learned so much from her. I find comfort in what Pastor Tom had to say at the funeral today and the knowledge that one day I will see Mrs. Lisa again...
I took this picture (candidly) the day that she shared the wisdom that opened my eyes...this is her reading her braille notes to us....
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