Epiphany 3b - conclusion

Dianne “Boots” Anderson was birthed into the life eternal yesterday and has taken her place in the vast cloud of witnesses. Her passing from death to life, while not easy, was peaceful and blessed by husband and grown children who sang the songs of faith to her and kissed her and laughed and wept and asked her to say “you betcha” one last time. We should all be so fortunate to be loved so well.  In the texts for Epiphany 3b we are so loved by a God who shows mercy to the hated Nineveh and challenges Jonah to do the same. In the psalm steadfast love belongs to God and that is the rock of our salvation upon which we stand when all around is shaking. Since the time is short the way we live each day as if it were the last is to trust that the God who loves holds all of our tomorrows. And the Gospel says it all in a sentence. God has come near so live the future in your present. “Boots” made a point to search me out every Sunday to tell me she prays for me every day. We should all be so fortunate to be loved so well. We’ll see you on the other side someday, Dianne, in the meantime I trust you’ll continue to pray for me as I need all the help I can get.