She Won!

I Corinthians 15:54-55
So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 

"Death is swallowed up in victory."

"Oh Death, where is your sting?"

"O Hades, where is your victory?"

I hate death...

I hate everything about it.
I hate everything it stands for.

But if not for God's unending mercy and His power and authority....death would win.

But isn't that just like God?
To take the very thing that came in with the fall of man in the garden, and turn it around on the very enemy that perpetrated it?

That God would take the very vehicle the devil uses so creatively, and use it for His own eternal purposes.

Jesus rode that vehicle.

From the cross to the tomb.

For three days, Jesus rode the finality of death.
But on the third day.....
He busted it wide open.

It was more than a stone being rolled back....
It was more than the first Easter....
It was a statement for all mankind, for all time that death had been defeated.

Now those in Chris would not escape death, but would be taken from it's purpose and placed over into God's purposes. Death would become the transition from life here to life with Him.

Yesterday, my sister-in-law, Peggy Parrish, made such a transition.

Sleep was hard to come by last night. We miss her so. 

The family gathered at our house last night.

We carried on the Southern tradition of sharing a meal in the middle of sharing our grief.
But with Jesus Christ in the mix, we shared hope.
We shared a belief that God is truly who He claims to be....
And He will do what He has promised He would do.....
In other words....we shared Hope!

There was laughter around the table as we looked over photo's from years past.

Memories spilled out like fine wine, and soothed our hurt and pain.

One of the things I have come to realize, is that I have been blessed to have married into a wonderful family whose ties go deeper than blood. 

Peggy was to have a procedure yesterday that would improve her health and ability to breath. This, in turn, would hopefully strengthen her and give her an even greater chance to receive new lungs through transplant.
It wasn't to be.

But the thing I am most grateful for is that she went into the procedure full of hope and laughter. Steve, her husband, shared with us that as they were moving her to the O.R., they both were cutting up and laughing. That was Peggy...always finding the bright spot in the darkest of times.

So while we will move through the coming days preparing for a funeral, I truly know that this gathering will be for the living. IF I know anything, Peggy will be embarrassed by all the attention that is being placed on her. She never was comfortable with being in the spotlight.

I find myself with all manner of question as I sit here typing this post.

"What is the first day in heaven like?"
"IS it everything we thought it would be?"

"What does Jesus' voice sound like?"

Then it suddenly came to me. I'm asking the questions......
But Peggy knows the truth.

God on you...

mb