Many of you who know me know the struggle we’ve been facing as our good friend Jennifer has been fighting cancer.  (You can read more about it on her blog at http://jennsstory.wordpress.com.  If you’re not already familiar with her blog, I encourage you to go read it.  Now.  I’ll still be here when you get back…)

As a result of her struggle, I wrote the following sonnet a few days before she passed. I’m sharing it here because it helped me process what’s been going on, but mostly I’m sharing it here because it gives me an opportunity to point others to her blog. (See note above.  If you haven’t done so yet, please visit her blog now.  You will not regret it.)

the fear of death is a sense of falling

the dread of emptiness is a bad dream

lonely moods are an echoing canyon

futile thoughts flow in a reflecting stream

vexed with God for His meaningless purpose

angry with sin for its masterful aims

perplexing wonders of this fragile shell

sublime secrets of delicate remains

our bodies are temples, destroyed, rebuilt

our forms of worship, demolished, reborn

today’s faith is the sun gently cresting

tomorrow’s hope, the arrival of morn

healing or passing is life without pain

living or dying is Christ or it’s gain

We will miss you, Jenn.  But as my friend Tom recently reminded me, you now know to be true what we here can only believe.

Grace and peace,

Delton