Sunday, August 7, 2011

Martha


I come to the garden alone    While the dew is still on the roses
           And the voice I hear falling on my ear
                 The Son of God discloses.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
      Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
             And the melody that He gave to me
                     Within my heart is ringing.

I'd stay in the garden with Him
       Though the night around me be falling,
             But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
                      His voice to me is calling.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
     And He tells me I am His own;
            And the joy we share as we tarry there,
                   None other has ever known.

Jim and Martha Bailey - 2011

She was the quiet one.  But she was the best communicator of us all.  Martha listened.  We gabbed and gabbed and gabbed.  She added her 2 cents worth now and then, and when she spoke we learned that it was well worth listening to.  But mostly, she listened.

She didn’t just listen, she heard.  She took our problems into her heart and carried them with her.  And she lived our celebrations with us.  She was a true friend.  She cried with us and she laughed with us and she celebrated with us… quietly, because that was just her way.

Yesterday, we celebrated Martha’s life.  We sang and laughed and cried tears that were meant for joy for her – but oh… oh, the heartbreak and sadness for all of us.  How could it be?  Martha was gone… suddenly gone at the young age of 66.  We didn’t get to tell us goodbye… no one did.  She died as she was walking through the hallway of her home.  They said it was very sudden – no pain – no fear – no regrets.  A massive coronary and she was gone from us and the angels were carrying her to sit with her Father.

I couldn’t be happier for Martha.  She was well prepared to meet her Father.   She lived her life everyday as if this might be the day she left us and join Him.  I know where she is and I know that she is laughing and singing with Jesus right now… but, Oh the sorrow for us.  Oh how we will all miss her on this earth until we are able to join her in heaven.  One more hour... one more day... I have so much to say to you about how you changed my life.

This has been a few weeks.  These have been weeks of difficult goodbyes for me.  It’s also been a great summer.  Many, many wonderful things have happened in my life.  The thing that makes the sorrow bearable is that those that have left this earth this summer and moved to their new homes with Christ had faith that was stronger than our sorrow.  As I mourn for Martha and Aunt Jenny and others who left this earth years ago, I know that I will see them again.  And that comfort is stronger than any pain.

I’ll miss Martha. I will miss her especially when we Southern Fried Chicks gather for lunch and a few moments together.  She will always be with us, because she became such a part of us. 

Martha was from New England.  We laughed about naming our little group of gals the “Southern” Fried Chicks.  She loved it, even though she was about as southern as Cream of Wheat.  We had this unique language barrier.  I spoke Gaston County / she spoke New Hampshire (or New Hampshia as she pronounced it).  She had no idea what a hosepipe was and I learned very quickly that in Martha-ese, an “r” at the end of a word was pronounced as an “a”.  And obviously, an “a” was pronounced as an “r”.    So, Martha became Mah-ther / Lamar became Lama / Lynda was Lynder.   I teased her at one time to just pretend that Lamar’s name was spelled Lama.   “Oh”, she said.  “Lamar”.  You got it, Mah-ther!!!!!

Martha was raised on a farm.  Guess that's why she did the work and said so little.  She knew about hard work and was so very talented in so many areas… cooking, sewing, gardening.  She had been in her garden hours before she died on August 1st… spending time doing what she loved.  She also worked with the homeless and hungry at church – or wherever she was needed.   If there was a need, Martha filled it.  So giving… so, so giving.

A few years ago, Martha and Jim lost their only granddaughter.  Brittany was celebrating with some friends at one of their homes just before they all went off to college.  They decided to make brownie or cookies or something and headed off to the store to gather ingredients.  They didn’t make it back home.  Several young recent high school grads from that small town were killed that night.  The town was devastated at the loss.  Martha and Jim grieved and grieved for Brittany, but never let their grief become who they were.  They continued to serve others and to honor their granddaughter by living their lives in the way that they taught her to live. 

Well, today, Martha, I have no doubt that you were met at the gates of heaven on the afternoon of August 1st, 2011 (our time) by your granddaughter.  When she left, it was much like when you left… you didn’t get to say goodbye.  Well, I guess you two have caught up a bit this week.  And you two have shared a few laughs and a few heavenly tears (if there are tears there).  And you are with us in a different way now, but you are with us for sure. 

So, enjoy it 'til we get there, Martha.  Work in your garden and keep the rocking chairs ready.  We’ll have a lot of catching up to do in a bit.  God just needed you there a little sooner than he needed the rest of us.  So, save me a rocking chair… and in the meantime, give Brittany a hug!  I can’t wait to meet her!!!!  I love you, my dear friend!

Lord, I thank you for the people you have put in my life.  I thank you for the hope of the future and a live everlasting with you.  Keep those I love close to you and please, Lord, stay close to me.  I know that the best is yet to come.  Lord, show me the way to you until you call me home.  Amen.

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