She Stands

I love creation and living in the country for most of my married life, has been such a gift to me, and a way that my faith has been nurtured and brought to life.  I have come to see that our GOD is such an amazing Creator!  It is mind boggling really, to think of all the species of animals, and birds and fish, and plants and on and on an on.  Amazing.  How can anyone say that there is no God?  How can anyone believe in anything other than that.  My brother in law loved science.  He especially loved stars and planets and the night sky, and brought that love to my grandkids one night when he lugged his telescope to the kids place, and amidst all the mosquitoes, showed them the wonders in the night sky.  Todd is now with the LORD and I can just imagine how he is enjoying heaven while we miss him.  One thing I laughed at is when he told us - “Yes,  I believe in the “BIG BANG” theory too.  I believe that God said "let there be …. and He clapped His hands together to create the world and the sound made a big bang!!”  I loved that explanation but somehow I don’t think that is what the Big Bang theorists really are talking about.  REGARDLESS … Our God is an amazing and awesome Creator and I love what I see around me, in my yard, in the back acreage, or along the walks that I take.  We have run out onto the porch at night to hear the Screech Owl, and have opened windows to hear the Coyotes howling.  I love watching and listening to the birds, especially the Blue Jays.  AND I love to close my eyes and listen to the symphony of creation - the rustling leaves, the croaking bullfrogs.  In the Bible it says that if we don’t praise - the rocks would cry out!  I believe creation praises the Creator, and I know that I for one, have been brought to tears over aspects of creation that God has used to show me His presence and his might and power.  Wow.

I also love trees.  I have been learning alot lately.  Let’s face it, I am thankful for the help of friends when it came time to planning the garden and carrying out the caring of it.  I did not know much about anything.  HOWEVER 9 years in, I have learned alot.  And I have come to love trees.  The tall OAKS are majestic to me.  They are rugged.  I love the whimsical look of the willows and realize they are fragile at ties when the weather really beats up a storm around them.  I love feeling the feathery softness of the new life of the evergreen trees - which then turns hard and prickly toward the end of the summer.  I love the apples that come from the apple trees, and the prickly nuts from the buckeye.  I love the fragrant blossoms in spring.  And I believe that we can learn alot from the trees, from their roots, and from what we observe.   

With that thought - I used the tree to represent my life … hope it makes sense.

SHE STANDS

She stands

Arms outstretched as far as they will go

In a posture of praise

Unmoving except for the wind that blows and moves her gently

Standing strong amidst all that is sent her way

She knows that she is planted 

Rooted deep in the love of the One who Created her

Roots

Oh how she loves those roots that span generations

Year upon year upon year

Establishing roots that give her depth

Nurturing her to the very core of her being

Roots that extend out and through places and time

Roots that give her the strength needed to stand strong and tall

And proud of who she is and what she has become

She stands

In her posture of praise to the One who created her

And who gives her all she needs through the seasons of life 

that have also been created

To give rhythm to life

As one season melds into the next and the next and the next

Lulling one to sleep with the sights, and sounds

The colors and the smells of each season

She stands

Her posture of praise

Arms outstretched to the ONE 

who has taken her through the heat of the summer

with its gentle rains and long days

Oh the summer breezes 

and the sounds of the crickets and the birds

The scurrying of the squirrels 

and the sound of the night owl

The glimpse of the doe crossing through the garden on the way to the pond to drink

She stands in a posture of praise

Leaves rustling and singing their own melody

With thanksgiving

She stands 

as the days get shorter and the sun sets sooner

and she hears the geese as they fly in big V's high over her head

Creation knows the season and what is ahead

Harvest Moon how beautiful you are

Shining down upon her in all of its orange and red glow

She stands tall and strong

and continues to hold her arms outstretched in praise

for this season of autumn

For the rains that fall

and the temperatures that make one put on a warm layer of wool

For the winds that blow

causing the leaves to flutter and fall and spin in a tornado of color

only to then land on the earth below 

where they gather with other seeds 

that have been blown 

and nuts that have been dropped

She stands strong in this season

 where life slows down and ceases 

and things prepare for a long winters nap

But she still stands determined

She may not like what is coming

but she is determinded 

and standswith her arms extended in praise

Knowing that the Creator 

has made seasons 

so that life and death will then eventually bring life again

in a while

A

Long

While ...

She stands

Arms outstretched but looking tired 

And at times almost dead

She knows that the season of winter if a long one 

but Praise comes from the core of her being 

even though she knows this season brings hardships

She knows they have to come

As it is in the storms that she grows stronger

Her roots keep her strong 

even  though she knows that they have fallen into a deep sleep 

Winter gives them a much needed rest

She needs that too

If she can just rest

Under the weight of it all

That is the bigger question

Can she stand under the weight?

Life has been a whirlwind 

that comes with the seasons she has lived through 

Year 

after year 

after year

Seasons of life have not been easy 

but she has endured.

In fact she has more than endured -

 she has thrived and grown

She has stood the test of time 

and thanks the Creator God for her roots 

that have been deeply planted by HIS life-giving water

and to 

So now this season of winter 

means she can rest

or at least try

Knowing that days will be short

Darkness will be long

Storms will be mixed in between 

The sun will shine and the sky will be blue

and the white blanket of snow

will sparkle like diamonds

and cover everything in its path

for

a

very

long

time

But even tho

the freezing cold chills her to the innermost ring of her being

She stands with her arms outstretched in praise

 she knows that this season is the longest

the harshest

And the one where she has to hang on 

with every ounce of her being

until Spring

She stands strong

Her arms outstretched

Pointing towards the sun that is waking up earlier

causing its warmth to fall for a longer period of time over her

She stands strong 

as she feels her roots remind her that they are still there

Giving her all that she needs for stability and strength

the way they have done for all the years of her life

As they begin to wake up

 and take in the sustenance needed for this season of new life

Buds appear and blossoms throw their fragrance 

Hues of greens envelope her

Her strength rises 

as she knows the winter has passed

 and that this new season  

is a time of praise

Praise for the new life

For the unfolding creation around her

For the promise and reminder of the goodness of her Creator God.

She stands strong 

knowing she has survived another round of seasons

The good

The bad

And at times even the ugly

okay (she shakes)

LOTS OF UGLY

But she stands

As a reminder that she is strong and mighty 

because of who the Creator has made her to be

She stands as a testament to her life 

and all she has weathered

She stands 

as a reminder that good roots are a necessary part of living well.

She stands

With arms outstretched

And if you are quiet you may even hear her song

As her leaves rustle in a quiet symphony of praise 

along with everything else that has come alive in the season of Spring and

If you are quiet 

you may hear the voice of the Creator acknowledging the praise of the created

She stands

Knowing what the Good Book says 

that to everything there is a season and a time for everything under heaven

And with arms outstretched 

She praises.

written with praise

by Joy

Feb. 20th, 2022

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT 

1For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 

2A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 

3A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 

4A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 

5A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 

6A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 

8A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

PS

I am also thankful for my friend, Spiritual Director and founder of the Anam Cara group that I am a part of, who has taught me much about looking within and loving my soul, who God has created, and who nurtures.  God has become known by the name LOVE to me during this process.   Not only is GOD the one who gives love to us, especially through the gift of his son Jesus who died for us, but God is LOVE!  Thank you LOVE for all that you have done in this old gal - in the depths of my being.  And thank you to my friend Cathy who as walked the journey with me - listening, encouraging, supporting, and being Jesus with skin on as she encourages me to walk the journey of my Faith - with LOVE.     You have taught me alot, and I know you have a love for nature the way our Creator God/Love has made it.   In that way we are similar <3 and I am so glad we are friends. 

9 years

This day - remains such a wonderful memory in my heart - as Mel and Grant got married
in Cuba.  Keri was so happy to be her sister's maid of honor and beamed with beauty!! 
It remains such an incredible family memory for me as we spent two weeks in Cuba with them.

There is so much we take for granted.  And there is so much that we encounter in life and never give two thoughts to.  And there is so much we hear about that pulls us back to the place that we were at when life stopped.  Today is one of those days and as I sit here thinking, I realize that the one constant through all of my life, is the LORD, and so often the strong arms of the Holy Spirit has been tangible.

9 years ago on this day, I was hosting my friend Sherry and we were chatting over a cup of tea for her, and coffee for me.  It was a sunny blue skied day.  She was catching me up on her life, as it had been a while since our paths had crossed.  Sherry got up to use the washroom, and my phone rang.  I will never in all my life forget that call and hearing the voice of my sister Heather on the other end telling me that her firstborn Keri Lee had been in an accident and was in emergency surgery as she spoke.  I told her I would be there. 

The ride felt like it took hours.  The walk through emergency and to the family room felt long.  The hugs to my sister, brother in law and niece felt like hardly enough.  But family does this - family is there for people in the deepest of pain.  A few years before that, I will never forget how the love of my sister (in my hospital room) literally I believe, saved my life (March 2006) ... but now, being there felt surreal.  Doctors in and out.  They got updates that felt like they only came every couple hours.  They were able to see their girl for a brief time.  Tears.  Conversation.  Prayer.  Phone calls.  Waiting.  And. More. Waiting.

On the way to the hospital, since Sherry was driving me (as Alvin had my car at work that day) I was able to phone my kids and tell them, and ask them to pray.  My kids loved Keri.  She was the firstborn of all the grandchildren on the Thomas side, and she took her place well - being the older niece - and she loved the others.  We had just celebrated her 40th a couple weeks earlier, and loved being part of the celebration where we all loved and celebrated her life! Little did we know. 

As the afternoon ticked away it felt endless I am sure even more so for Heather/Greg and Mel as we sat there.   Family began to arrive at the hospital as right after the supper hour a very hard decision was made to take Keri off of life support.  Really, Keri had died at the site - but her heart had been resuscitated and the machine was keeping her breathing.  Our Keri was already with Jesus it seemed.   While the family came through the doors of the waiting room on that floor, we all knew that we were there to say good-bye. How could this be.  

I watched as families checked in ... and realized that very few were missing.  A sister/brother in law who were informed but in Texas, a niece who was in Ontario and a brother who we had no clue where he was as he was not living in community with us.  The rest - aunts/uncles/cousins of Keri and siblings/nieces/nephews of Heather and Greg - assembled around Keri's bed, as she took her last breath this side of heaven.  Her life here was done.  Too young.  Too short.  So unexpected.  Leaving behind a son not yet 5.  All the thoughts mingled with the tears and Jesus in the midst of the pain, and now the grief.  

I remember leaving the hospital that night - walking out with them.  No words.  Not a single one can truly describe that walk out.  Surreal.  Final. Unbelievable.  

Within the next day or so, I became aware of something that our little 3 year old had said.  When his momma and daddy were dropping him off at their friends place, they assured him they would be back and that they were going to see Keri at the hospital.  He was aware that something had happened as he had seen the tears his mom was crying when I called her.  But he told them, "No, Keri is with Jesus."  How do you explain to a 3 year old that "No Keri was taken to the hospital" and then hear him again tell you, "No, Keri is with Jesus.  Jesus took her in."

I have thought back to this - and especially as my grandson has grown up, and I see his heart that is so sensitive to the LORD.  And I have often wondered at that.  That our little boy knew that Keri WAS with Jesus and Jesus HAD taken her into heaven with what I could imagine to have been arms that were open wide ...  an arm around her shoulders as they walked into Heaven together.  

Imagining Heaven got very easy for me once my mom passed away, then my dad the year later, and then our grandson Jay  - it seemed that the fear of death, the unknown - it all dissipated and I imagine often what Heaven must be like.   It seems like I can honestly say THE BEST IS YET TO COME.   I have imagined Keri in Heaven - and especially with her Granny and Poppa (remember I told you she was the first born of all the grandchildren?  Well she became the one who was Granny's right hand whenever Poppa needed to go anywhere, Keri would come and keep Granny company).  Well ... I can just imagine Keri in Heaven - and if her smile was big here on earth - I can only imagine what it is like there in the presence of Jesus who she loved!

9 years seems like yesterday for me as an aunt.  I can not imagine what it has felt like for Heather and Greg, and Mel & Grant.  We watch Caleb grow up and see his Momma in him - she would have been so proud of him - I can just imagine how with his height, he would have already been able to tuck him mom under his arm!!  Life has been tough without a doubt.  How do you go from being a Mom and "Manny" to Keri and Caleb - to being a grieving Mom and a surrogate Mom for Caleb.  This is life day in day out, and I see my sister and I am seriously in awe of how she walks with Jesus through every day.   I see so much of my mom and dad in Heather.  Grit and determination and a steadfast love ...  and an incredible sense of only being able to do what she is doing because of the strength that God gives her.  No doubt life changed in a moment, where Keri's car hit the back of the parked truck.  And we will never understand, but we know that God was there in that moment - and in all the moments since.

So today I honour the memory of our niece - Keri Lee Klyne.  She was tiny physically but in other ways she was BIG.  She lived big - she loved big - she smiled big and she laughed big.  I remember waiting for her to be born - I remember babysitting her.  I remember so much since she was the first niece I got to love on.  I miss Keri.  But I can only imagine her joy being with Jesus.

Today, if you read this - please keep my sister and brother-in-law in your prayers as their raise Caleb.  Please keep Mel in your prayers as she misses the only sister she had.  Please keep Caleb in your prayers as he is growing up quickly, and the memories of his momma are the ones that we also pour into his memory bank.  If you see him, and see his smile - you will see his Momma ... 

Thinking of, Missing, and always loving her!  I was so proud to be her auntie!Till Heaven sweet Niece ...  Till Heaven.  I can only imagine!! 

with love,

j