Precious Sad Day

Some sad and yet joyous news yesterday, Mary Kirby Servey went home to be with the Lord. Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." Mary had been suffering with Alzheimer's the last few years.

Mary was an answer to prayer for our family 12 years ago. We were moving to Sycamore with two little boys ages 3 and 8 months and we prayed that God would bless them with some surrogate grandparents and godly senior saints so our boys could be well rounded and see the faithfulness of God through generations. Both of our parents are still living, but mine are 4 1/2 hours away and Sonya's are 11 hours away. One of the answers to our prayers was Mary. She babysat, looked after them, and treated them like they were her own. She was watching them the day Jeremiah was born and was the first to stop by to see our newest addition. One year we bought her an angel for Christmas because she had been an angel to our family.

To our church she was a bright soul. Her spirit of joy could light up a room. She had played the piano at church for 25+ years with her unique style that people still talk about to this day. She had been widowed about 15 years ago and we were sad and yet happy when she married a widower and moved to WI 8 years ago.

The last time I saw Mary was a few years ago at her 70th birthday party. She was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's and didn't really remember who we were. I think my mourning for Mary started then.

All through the ministry I've heard of the benefits of long term pastorates. Trust, knowing the community, deep relationships, long term vision, etc. One of the hard parts of being at a church for 12 years is realizing your not burying a "parishioner", you have to bury a friend. It will be a difficult week.

Be Refreshed!


Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 25:13 Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.

Scripture of the Day: 1 Corinthians 15:50-57 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Quote of the Day: "We want to reach the kingdom of God, but we don't want to travel by way of death. And yet there stands Necessity saying: 'This way, please.' Do not hesitate, man, to go this way, when this is the way that God came to you." Augustine