May
22
2012
Crossing Meadows
Posted in Heaven 2 Comments
(part one of this story was written on March 27, 2012)
My friend and her husband returned from China.
They met their daughter’s precious friend…the one she had discipled in the faith.
They went to places their daughter had walked, as she ministered to many in His name.
Their daughter, Katelynn, had crossed over from this life to her eternal life in an instant.
The victim of a horrific car accident that took her life at the age of twenty three.
They have continued to walk with their Lord…not understanding…but trusting.
They have cried out to Him.
The same cry of Peter…Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God. (John 6:68, 69)
An honest confession of faith.
Katelynn has a brother and a sister…both married now to wonderful, Godly spouses.
Katelynn’s sister was expecting her first baby, and as only God could orchestrate, the baby…the first grandchild…was due on Katelynn’s birthday.
Only God could arrange something so perfectly.
The months went by very quickly…the trip to China…many prayers that the baby would not arrive early…until my friend and her husband came home.
I got an email from my friend last week telling me that her Mom had died.
She was a sweet woman who loved the Lord…loved her children…loved her grandchildren.
Mixed emotions.
Sadness because she will miss her Mom; happiness to know that she is in heaven with the Lord she loved so much; rejoicing that now grandmother and granddaughter are in their eternal Home together!
My friend’s email asked for prayer…that they would have a celebration of her Mom’s Homegoing…and that the new baby would wait just a bit longer to be born, rather than come in the midst of all the other things that needed loving attention.
The Homegoing celebration happened…tears and rejoicing…beautiful spring weather…the baby tucked safely inside.
SOON!
An announcement came the morning of May 20.
The sweet baby girl was born.
She arrived on her Aunt Katelynn’s birthday and has her aunt’s name as her middle name.
Only God…
We go about our days…we worry and fret over when’s, and what if”s, and if only’s.
There is ONE who has everything under control, at all times, with precise orchestration.
And yet we wonder…and we question…and we doubt.
The new granddaughter’s name is Sydney Katelynn.
I looked up the meaning of Sydney’s name before I wrote to my friend this morning:
I knew there would be so many emotions, as the circle of life continues, just as God ordains.
Never more evident than in the past few days for your family.
One life back to the other side…one life from the other side.
Both perfectly timed…both part of God’s plan.
Sydney has her aunt Katelynn’s name as part of her name.
It is a good name.
She already carries a legacy and a story with her from her first minutes on this earth.
That is a gift.
She will know how she is connected to her family and to the Body of Christ…to those here…and to those that have gone before.
Many do not know those truths from such a young age.
She is rooted and established in love, so that she may have power with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that she my be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
Sydney has grandparents that love God well…that will teach her Truths about Him…gleaned from walking with Him many years.
Sydney means “wide meadow”.
How lovely.
I was thinking of that imagery as I looked up the meaning of her name.
There is this meadow between earth and heaven…not a chasm…but a peaceful meadow.
We see it…see glimpses of it…but it is not ours to cross…yet.
Meadows are places of peace and solace…cool breezes…tranquility.
I thought of your Mom as she crossed that meadow after a race well run…running once more into the arms of Jesus.
I thought of Sydney as she crossed the meadow, and was enveloped in loving arms that have waited and prayed for her for so long.
Only our Sovereign, Mighty God could time that crossing.
Perfectly.
Meadow Crossing…
We, who think we are in control, have absolutely no control over the timing of that crossing.
That is for God to determine…and I am glad of that.
We would bring our baggage to the meadow…carrying suitcases full of stuff.
Stuff that hinders. Stuff that weighs us down.
How free we are when we relinquish our suitcases.
We who know about the meadow need to tell others about it.
There is an urgency for others to get a glimpse.
May the Wind of the Spirit blow afresh in the hearts of those that need to feel His breeze.
Can you see it?
Can you see yourself running through the wide meadow…going HOME?
Breezes…tranquility…right into the arms of Jesus.
Hi Gina,
I came across your beautiful blog and read this posting… beautiful. Thank you for sharing your gift of words! This is so beautiful, I can not wait to read it to Sydney. Keep writing and it will continue blessing others.
Love,
Aftan
Aftan,
You are welcome.
The way God continues to work and weave everything together so perfectly, still astounds me.
Only He could give you such a perfect gift…first in your precious daughter and second, in the day she was born.
He allowed beauty to come out of the ashes.
You have been special to me since you were a little girl.
Now you are a woman…a wife…a mother…serving our Lord well.
I look forward to meeting Sydney.
Enjoy every minute of this precious time.
Gina