Last year Keith and I spent a quiet weekend in the foothills for Thanksgiving, barely two months after our loss. This year, as Jamie and Chris gathered with the Stavenger family in Minnesota, we headed south to my hometown to gather with my family for the first time since Derek's memorial service. All of my six siblings converged in Tucson, along with my mom and dad, nieces and a nephew. Spending time together was the purpose, and that's what we did. It was especially good to see my sister, Martha, feeling reasonably well and in good spirits (Keith somehow always makes her laugh), after six months of weekly chemo treatments. The desert sun was warm and the breezes were chilly. We were thankful for the time, and for each other. Good food was a bonus.
Derek was on our minds, whether spoken or not. A spontaneous remembrance happened as we enjoyed a dinner of Chipotle and his local favorite - Eegees. With our many family trips to Tucson through the years, there were plenty of reminders around town of places we had been with him. At Martha's request, on our final evening we ate at a Chinese buffet that we recalled had been Derek's favorite. After dinner, as we broke the cookies and shared our random "fortunes," I was taken aback when I looked at mine:
"God can heal a broken heart, but He has to have all the pieces."
Well, that gave me something to ponder. I added it to my little collection of cookie wisdom, saved over the last few months:
"Good things are coming to you in due course of time."
"Sharing little joys offers great hope to others."
1 comment:
I will praise you in this storm! So grateful for our lunch together after church on Sunday. I'll be lighting a candle on Sunday!
Post a Comment