Good Mourning

A late blooming flower with the glittering of stars

My father passed away last Thursday. He was 87 and in the later stages of dementia, but was otherwise in relatively good health. He was doing fine in the morning and then passed suddenly at lunchtime.

It was a shock, and for me, it was the first time a close family member had ever died. Other relatives, such as my grandparents and one uncle, had passed previously, but I had never met them. So, I was unprepared for my grieving and didn't know what to do.

On the day he died, Renee and I spent the rest of the day together, walking hand in hand but mostly in silence. Flowers and food arrived from Robyn, the YWAM leader here, along with many immediate well wishes and prayers.

That afternoon, while Renee and I were walking on The Strand, our pastor and another YWAM friend happened to be there. They stopped and lifted us up in prayer. Later, we sat on a bench and saw an amazing cloud formation, like a warm blanket covering the sky. There was an abundance of peace.

I took a week off from writing. Over the next few days, I walked for many hours around Townsville, just remembering my dad and reminiscing about the good times we had together, and allowing God to fill me with His grace for such a time as this.

Three days after my father passed, I noticed that most of the flowers we had received had started wilting. However, a couple of flowers that had started off closed were now just opening. Inside one was a stem topped with a glittering crown.

My dad had become a Christian very late in life, and those flowers reminded me that although our earthly bodies will wither and die, there's a late-blooming flower that has yet to bud, and it will contain the sparkle of gemstones far more precious than diamonds—the sparkle of eternal life.

By God's abundant grace, it's been a week of good mourning, and for that, I'm forever grateful.

The Lord their God will save his people on that day
as a shepherd saves his flock.
They will sparkle in his land
like jewels in a crown.

Zechariah 9:16