Thanksgsiving on Thursday...

Thank God for the cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1), 

the faithful witnesses who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb.

 I think of many people in my life and history who are/were these witnesses, 

encouraging me to live my life

 purposefully and soberly 

because the days are evil...

Especially this morning I think of 

Uncle John.

I know I wrote of him in recent weeks but he lies heavy on my heart,

as his funeral seems like a near-future event.

With cancer riddling his body and rendering him weaker and sicker,

unless God does a miracle of healing,

he will die soon.

Yesterday as I sewed a dress that most likely

 I will wear to his funeral,

I thought of life and eternity.

I thought of my cousin, Priscilla,

oldest daughter of Uncle John.

We giggled and played together in our childhood...

whispering girlish secrets and talking about our hopes

 for the future days.

Now her life has taken a new turn

as she says goodbye to her father

and looks to a future where her 

children will not have their grandpa 

as they grow up.

Tears well up in my eyes as I ponder.

But I know that our times are in 

God's hands,

and that Uncle John's life

speaks loudly as he nears death.

One day, I look forward to

worshiping Jesus with him in heaven.

And for today, I thank God

that I have known such a fine uncle

as Uncle John.

I found this poem the other day

and was blessed by it:

So Let Me Live

So let me live that everyone *

Can say of me, that thing's he's done

Have been for other's happiness

Be this my aim and nothing less.

So let me live that when each day,

Has lived its span and fled away,

I may to God and Father come

And know I've earned His praise

"Well done".

So let me live that those who see*

The naked, open side of me

May say, "He's even purer when

You see the side not shown to man."

So let me live than when I see

The one's who've sacrificed for me,

I can in truth and honor say,

"I have not thrown your trust away."

So let me live, my whole life long,

That I may ne'er be in the wrong~

But if, perchance, at times, I am,

May I admit it like a man.

So let me live that here and there

I may relieve another's care;

That I may shun publicity

And clothe me in humility

So let me live that though all life

Should seem to seethe with hate and strife,

My  heart may pure and guileless be;

My words come forth straightforwardly.

*I know about poetic license, but it

is of utmost importance that it matters

most what JESUS thinks of us...

altho our fruits will be seen of men.

This poem so beautifully articulates

 the cry that springs up from the 

deepest places of my heart...

I want to be a faithful witness...

like Uncle John has been.