Experiencing The Death Of Jenny

Destination
Experienced
After
Transfiguring
Hereafter

It seemed to be a normal Georgia summer, scorching hot days cooled down by sips of sweetened tea, Vacation Bible School, beautiful pecan trees dressed in summer green with sprouting baby pecans waiting for the fall of the fall. Life was worth the living and everything but routine. There were a few things that could be anticipated by the Moffett family. The boys and I lived each week anticipating the return of the lady of the house. She lived and worked in the Savannah area during the week and returned to the Augusta area on Friday nights. Yes, life was worth the living, especially when one thought of the events of last summer. The church had experienced the death of several members as could be expected by a church membership of about two hundred and fifty. Yet there was one death that summonsed the attention of all. It was what many considered to be the untimely death of the little baby Jones girl.
I do not understand the concept of untimely death. It implies that there is an acceptable time to die that most will gratefully welcome. I think not! The funeral of the little baby Jones girl was a new experience for the most of the members of our church. It was rough and emotional to view such a small coffin in the front of what seemed to be a vast alter in comparison to the tiny box that lay in our mist. I have never fully comprehended the suffering and death of children. I have resolved that God is in charge and will enlighten me when I make it to the other side. The death of this child fostered the type of self-reflection that one seldom volunteers to ponder. It was last summer and we were living life. No one expected what this summer would bring, no one especially the mother and grandmother of the deceased Jones baby.
I do not know the events that led to the event that changed my perception of death, dying and grief. I could not have prepared myself for the weeks that followed. There was no scripture that I could read, no prayer that I knew to pray, no book to read, it was one of those experiences that one must just experience. Jenny Jones had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was in hospice care. I was doing the things that a friend of the family as well as minister in the church was supposed to do. The Bible speaks about visiting the sick and so that is what I did.
I do not remember where things changed from just making an expected visit and doing what friends do to something more, something much more, it was a lesson in living. Jenny was dying and in her dying God spoke to me and He showed me how to live. I began to do more than just visit Jenny. It became a important part of my life to let Jenny visit with me, of course I had to go to the hospital to accomplish this. I had gotten over the initial fright and anxiety of what to do and or say. I was content for Jenny and her mom, Pat, to include me in the finial days of life on this side for Jenny. I could not have imagined that I could be so fulfilled to just sit and experience the presence of life. Many hours passed that no one said anything verbal yet we were communicating to each other on a higher level. Words were not adequate to express what we were experiencing. We continued to enjoy Jenny until the finial stages set in. Jenny was moved to her mother’s home for those precious days.
I don’t remember how long Jenny was home before the Lord instructed her to really come home, what I do know is that I did not miss a day with Jenny. I would leave work, pick up my boys and we would head over to Pat’s house. I would sit-up all night and then leave with just enough time to go home and shower, take the boys to school and go back to work. It became evident that Jenny was slipping to the other side. We enjoyed as much of life with her that we could. We had gone beyond being sad and had found peace in the decision of God. We realized that God only loans us the fellowship and friendship of each other. We do not know when the loan will be called in, thus we must make the most of it while we can. Never in my life had I said so much without saying anything. Jenny had sparked life in my life in her transition to eternal life.
The experience with Jenny caused me to grow up and mature concerning my perspective of death, dying and grief. Jenny had been brave, laughing, crying, fussing, and sharing with each of us during a time many would have used the “woe is I card”. There were times that I just wanted to cry but would have to wait until I had a moment alone. I was not just a friend, but an example and source of strength for the family. I did find some private moments and then I let my emotions have the best of me. The most disappointing part of the experience for me was the fact that I was not there the night that Jenny left us. My job had required me to go out of town. I had anticipated being there until the crossing over, as we term it in our culture. I did return in time for the funeral.
I had my own lesson with death, grief, and dying. I learned that it is a natural process to grieve. Everyone experiences this in a different way. The Christian that has embraced the reality of death will grieve for the loss of fellowship of someone important to them. Others will have sorrow for the one that is deceased. This seems to be a little backward. One might think that the birth of an innocent baby into a curl, insensitive world would be the time to experience sorrow and that the passing from this curl, insensitive world would be the time to experience joy. I learned what things are important in life when one considers that life, as we know it is not permanent. God is the giver of life and He knows when we are to leave this side to cross over to the immortal, the everlasting. We should enjoy life and each other as though it is our last day. I reprioritized the events of my life. I looked at life through a different set of glasses. I have taken time to appreciate what might be considered mundane to others. I learned to embrace death, look forward to dying and experience grief.