My sister’s mother-in-law just passed away. She had some chronic health conditions, but was recently diagnosed with cancer. There was debate about whether or not to initiate treatment at her age with her health conditions. Ultimately, the family decided they should try it, but unfortunately, there was a sudden complication and she passed away.
Just as attending weddings remind me of my own wedding, when people lose their loved ones, I can’t help but remember losing my own father. The immediate aftermath of his death was a flurry of activities and arrangements for his funeral. It was like planning a wedding in a matter of a couple of weeks. The most difficult part was writing his obituary. How do you sum up a person’s life in a few paragraphs? What are the important events? His achievements? His legacy? Did he live a life fulfilled or of struggle? (He did both.) But for me, as his son, the most important thing was his faith in Christ. There was a question of even that, but we were fortunate that we had time to ask the hard questions with him to be sure. And that has given me and my family the greatest gift – peace. Peace to know that it’s a “see you later.”
If you are unsure of where you stand in your own faith, I would encourage you to take the time to figure this out. It’s the most important decision you can make and life event you will experience, both for you and your family and those who love you.
My sister’s mother-in-law was a strong and faithful Christ-follower. In the midst of the flurry of activities that I know my sister, my brother-in-law, and their family must do, and the mix of emotions that inevitably will come, I know that they too will experience that same peace that I had with my dad. See you later, Dad. See you later, Mrs. Noritake.