simple yet unique
--Mary HAD a little lamb--
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
9:00 PM
An elderly man lay dying in his bed. In death's agony, he suddenly
smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookies wafting up
the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength, and lifted himself
from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out
of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down
the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands.
With labored breath, he leaned against the doorframe, gazing into
the kitchen. Were it not for death's agony, he would have thought
himself already in heaven: There, spread out on the kitchen table
were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies. Was
it heaven? Or was it merely one final act of heroic love from his
devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?
Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the
table. His aged and withered hand made its way to a cookie at the
edge of the table, when his wife suddenly smacked it with a
spatula. "Stay out of those," she said. "They're for the funeral."
She's not the only person to save something for a funeral that should
have been shared long before. It often seems a shame that flowers are
sent at a funeral rather than beforehand when they could truly be
enjoyed. Many of the comments made at a funeral reflect the realization
that we didn't express our feelings adequately to those we love while
they were alive: "What a wonderful friend she was. I never told her how
much I appreciated what she meant to me!" "I hope he realizes how much
I loved him!"
If someone means something special to you, don't save it for the
funeral. Share it with them now!
Therefore comfort one another and edify one another, just as you
are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11).