Funeral Thoughts

Linda Petersen, age 68, died last week and we attended her funeral on Tuesday.  Family and friends filled the church to mourn for this active, feisty lady who loved animals and cared for them and her family members constantly.  Her three children, in-laws and three grandchildren will miss her greatly; she and her husband, Matt, invested much time, money and energy in their lives.  My heart breaks for Matt, because he retired in January and they had planned exciting travel and hobbies.  Instead they fought lung cancer for the entire time and now he faces his retirement alone, having lost his mother and mother-in-law in the last six months as well.

Linda had many woman friends, including my mother before her death (Linda played piano for many of Mom's singing gigs), and she designated eight women as her pallbearers.  She also asked that I "jazz it up" on the piano as I accompanied the congregation on "Precious Lord, Take my Hand."  I did my best, and a few of the women appreciated the effort and thought it was enough.  Our former pastor gave a beautiful tribute to Linda's wisdom, and our current pastor a meaningful sermon on God's grace.  Our kids helped in the kitchen for over an hour and a half while I visited with old friends who had come to support the family; one was Gordy Chalmers and his wife, Claudia (Matt's sister), with whom I toured France on the high school trip.

Camy, Linda's oldest daughter, is almost my age, and, living close, has had to be the strong one- working six days a week in her shop, caring for Linda's animals, helping her own children as usual.  She assured me that she has found time to cry and grieve; I pray she can feel God's arms around her, because as a divorced woman, she cries alone for the most part.  She has started teaching Sunday School, which will bring her out to Svea weekly so we can stay connected.

I pray and trust that the Lord is continuing to work out His purposes in and through Linda's death.