''God Gives Us Eyes to See His Beauty in Nature ...
and Hearts to See the Beauty in Each Other''
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In early June as we were ending our two month stay in Rochester, we spent the last days saying ''so long for now'' to our dear hometown friends. While these annual ''goodbyes'' are never easy, one was especially difficult.
Mary and I have been friends for 30+ years. We enjoyed catching up with each other's busy lives during our annual summer lake cabin weekend. We shared the joys and supported each other through the challenges of parenthood. And most precious to me ... we shared a love of the Lord who shows His beauty in the nature that surrounds us. Flower gardening and beach walks were Mary's favorite way to enjoy this beauty.
This past spring, even as her treatment options became more limited, her faith continued to blossom and grow. I felt honored to be able to ''mask up'' and spend time with her ... helping her with medical tasks, but more importantly, listening and learning from her.
Learning to see that despite life's storms,
... there is always hope in the promise of new life.
A week and a half ago we were camping at Mount Rainier National Park. When we woke up that morning, we saw that a thick fog had descended around us, obscuring everything around us. I was a little bummed, because we were planning to hike up to Panoramic Point to enjoy amazing views of Mount Rainier and the surrounding area. But with this fog, there weren't going to be any views of the distant glaciers, waterfalls, or mountains.
But as we walked along, instead of being wrapped up in the grand views of mountains in the distance, I started to notice that we were surrounded by an amazing display of wildflowers ... purple, pink, yellow, white, orange, and red ... and thought about my friend Mary and how she lived her life. When faced with difficulties, she always made it a priority ...
To look for and celebrate the beauty in every moment and in each person.
Had it not been for the fog, I probably wouldn't have paid attention to the beauty of the alpine wildflowers that were all around me in plain sight begging to be noticed and enjoyed.
After we finished our hike, I received word that while we walked through the fog-covered park, Mary had passed into Eternal Glory. The next morning, the fog had cleared and the sun was shining brightly. We returned to do the same hike again but with a new appreciation for everything that we saw ... both the towering mountain peaks in the distance and the petite wildflowers right in front of us.
I will miss my dear friend, but I am also eternally grateful for Mary's friendship and for how she showed us throughout her life to see and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us and ...
To Hope in the Promise of Eternal Life
Where Beauty Beyond our Imagination Awaits Us.
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