Oh, the people you'll meet!

11:30 p.m. Today's project was to visit the Acheson-Graham mortuary, where my husband Steve's body--now an empty shell, because he's in heaven with the Lord-- is located prior to cremation.  I needed to go in to meet with Eulinda and firm up final contract details.

She took a very long time with me and let the discussion flow freely. This is a good thing, because I tend to intersperse short inspired phrases and concepts that the Lord brings to mind in close-to-appropriate places in discussions! I'm sure that in dealing with grieving family members, Eulinda has seen all manner of behavior. But as a professional, she manages, to get the subject at hand back on track. We created a plan that will accomplish all that needs to be done to honor Steve's memory. The details of the service will be worked out with our family, mostly me, and Harvest Christian Fellowship.

I asked her how she got started in this unique career, and she told me that when she was in her twenties, she really admired the way that people from the funeral home handled her grandfather's arrangements. She found a school of mortuary science in Los Angeles, and became a mortician. "We were trained right along with the nurses," she told me. I thanked her for her heart for helping families.

Isn't it wonderful that the Lord has designed people for different kinds of service to mankind? Or different ministries, as I see it. I don't know if Eulinda is a believer, but she certainly helped me have peace and  calm in my mind and spirit as I made choices and decisions that would honor our God and best suit Steve. And I greatly need the guidance, having never been responsible for decisions about a memorial service before. (Below is a beautiful statue of Jesus in the mortuary's Garden of Prayer).

Commenting on my Facebook post about my gratitude toward the mortician, Thomas Klock wrote "It's great to see that God has His hands on us in all things, good and bad from our perspective. May He continue to help you and connect you with the right people through all of this." And I can absolutely say with the sons of Korah, who wrote Psalm 46:1:

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.

10:58 p.m. Friday, January 4th, Today's project was to enjoy the treat and privilege of spending the day with my daughter Heidi and a young lady named Sarah. I'd seen Sarah's name before and know she is a friend of Heidi's from the Young Adult ministry at our church. Our destination was the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. What a thrill for me, a true history and arts buff! (Or nerd, whwhichever)!

Sarah generously drove, and we spent a wonderful day of fellowship together, just in awe of the way God has gifted artists and craftsmen from the earliest times of civilization. Many of the painted, sculpted, and gilded treasures in the European art exhibit were of the life of Christ and His disciples, or depicted Biblical events. In the Japanese Pavilion, quiet and calm prevailed, except in the corner with the Samurai armor and sword!. And in the "object art" area, I made the girls laugh when I said that the Andy Warhol painting of a Campbell Soup can started a whole new direction in art! Yes, I can truly say that an important interest of mine, art, was nourished today more than it had been for a number of years. Even though we are dust, God knows our frame (Psalm 103:14); and He knew what would minister to our individual souls before He formed us (Psalm 139:13-16). 

We wrapped up a fun and relaxing day with a delicious meal and meaningful conversation at the Johnny Rocket vintage-style eatery. Sarah was kind enough to drive me home, a jog out of the way into Riverside before heading out to Redlands where both girls live.

Thank You, Lord, for bringing new and uplifting people into my life this week. Each one is helping me, as Philippians 3:14 declares, to

press toward the goal  for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.