A BEAUTIFUL SEED SOWN
Who would have known that a memorial service could be this life-infusing?! Honoring her by wearing happy colors rather than garments of mourning, we gathered with a vague feeling that this would be intense and “inspirational,” but we had no idea what we were in for.
Taken in her thirties, Ashleigh’s beautiful body was eaten by cancer, while her even more stunning spirit shone increasingly of Heaven. “I’m happy as a pig in the mud. If what’s ahead is Heaven …oh my goodness, Heaven is a real place…. with a real city, with real people that I love….it’s breathtaking and then you get your Savior that died for your sins and that you did squat for, all right there… but if the worst thing is that I go to Heaven, that is the best thing that can happen,” she witnessed in her last, her voice strengthening as if she describes a place she was actually experiencing.
” Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” (John 12:24)
While she was with us, she lavishly loved as many and as deeply as she could, and then some. Now, it seems her Savior blew life to the sparks she ignited, and we are ablaze with a fresh, fierce passion. Even we who have loved and served Jesus for decades feel our chests expanding with LIFE as if for the first time.
It feels like waking up from semi-slumber to brighter colors and freer faith. Our bodies are too small for the soul that is bursting out to love more, to laugh more, to open all the eyes around us to His saving beauty. No more apologies for being transformed from dust to life by the only One who could do it.
Stress, sickness, selfishness are the pollution if a dying planet, but I am done breathing its smog. Obviously affected by its grime, my soul wrestles free from its control. I am hindered, but not handicapped. The door to this cage is open, and reminded by Ashleigh, I’m escaping.
How? Like she did; drinking in the Living Water from the River of Life every day and then remembering on index cards how it quenched my thirst. By giving it away every chance I get to dry, dying throats all around me.
Ashleigh was grateful. Even in unimaginable agony , she counted herself among the most blessed, perceiving her Savior’s grace in everything. Her green, almond shaped-eyes saw purpose where we saw pain, opportunity instead of oppression, beauty instead of burden.
Such a generous spirit now sown into eternity, that she may be scattered wider than her one life could bear.
And we each received a seed today ~
Thank you, Ashleigh. Thank,you, Jesus
