My mind will forever recall this November memory. Allow me to introduce you to a couple of saints from our previous church - Bruce and Ann.
Bruce and Ann came to our church only in the last five years or so we were there. They transferred from a sister congregation because they moved to our part of the city. Bruce had previously come very close to death after experiencing a health crisis. The Lord allowed his earthly life to continue and he seemed to have a new lease on life!! He explained how his priorities had become clearer and he became a faithful attendee of church services and an active member. They also wanted to be close to family and had a “granny suite” built onto their daughter and her family’s house. She had been an only child and they were thrilled to be closer to their three grandkids.
It wasn’t long after their move that their daughter took off and left her family. She had always struggled with her mental health which played a role in the abandonment of her own children. Bruce and Ann were devastated but their soon to be ex son-in-law allowed them to stay under the roof they shared which was a huge relief to them! They helped raise their grandkids and brought them to church whenever they could.
I served alongside Bruce and Ann for years. Bruce was one of the few men in our church choir and the men would sit behind me. They were always laughing and joking back there! If there was heckling, it was coming from the back row!! It was harder for Ann to get around but she was usually our helper in the kitchen for the kids programs. She’d pump them full of sugar and sodium (despite my encouragement for more healthy options) and send them back home to their parents to deal with! She loved being around the kids and she’d pray with them and remind them how much Jesus loves them.
They were some of my biggest supporters when I started my own hair salon business. They’d come in like clockwork every six weeks so Ann could get a cut and color and Bruce could get cut what hairs he had left on his head. Ann would tell me many times about how they met and how she kept calling him the wrong name but he didn’t seem to care. Often our conversation would lead to tears and handing her a box of kleenexes as we sat waiting for her color to process. She had lived a hard life in many ways but it always came back to how much she loved Bruce and the comfort she had as a baptized child of God.
In the fall of 2017, Bruce was diagnosed with cancer. It quickly traveled to his brain. The row behind me in choir was quieter without him there. The doctors gave him a handful of months.
He was admitted into the hospital in town known as: “The one you didn’t come out of alive.” It was known as the last stop before the end. Wayne and fellow members would often go and minister to him and Ann, who was almost always by his side. His diet was limited and it wasn’t the greatest hospital food, so Wayne asked me if I’d be willing to make something homemade for him. I made beef barley soup because Ann said it was his favorite. I was going to send it along with Wayne, but I hesitated because if he didn’t come out of the hospital, it might be my last chance to see him on this side of glory. I was torn. Food I can make! Visiting hospitals (especially this one) is quite another. With lots of prayer for strength, I packed up the hot soup forever referred to now as “Bruce’s Beef Barley Soup”, bowls, spoons, and disposable Thanksgiving plates that had written on them Give Thanks to the Lord, the irony of our surrounding not escaping my awareness.
Bruce and Ann came to our church only in the last five years or so we were there. They transferred from a sister congregation because they moved to our part of the city. Bruce had previously come very close to death after experiencing a health crisis. The Lord allowed his earthly life to continue and he seemed to have a new lease on life!! He explained how his priorities had become clearer and he became a faithful attendee of church services and an active member. They also wanted to be close to family and had a “granny suite” built onto their daughter and her family’s house. She had been an only child and they were thrilled to be closer to their three grandkids.
It wasn’t long after their move that their daughter took off and left her family. She had always struggled with her mental health which played a role in the abandonment of her own children. Bruce and Ann were devastated but their soon to be ex son-in-law allowed them to stay under the roof they shared which was a huge relief to them! They helped raise their grandkids and brought them to church whenever they could.
I served alongside Bruce and Ann for years. Bruce was one of the few men in our church choir and the men would sit behind me. They were always laughing and joking back there! If there was heckling, it was coming from the back row!! It was harder for Ann to get around but she was usually our helper in the kitchen for the kids programs. She’d pump them full of sugar and sodium (despite my encouragement for more healthy options) and send them back home to their parents to deal with! She loved being around the kids and she’d pray with them and remind them how much Jesus loves them.
They were some of my biggest supporters when I started my own hair salon business. They’d come in like clockwork every six weeks so Ann could get a cut and color and Bruce could get cut what hairs he had left on his head. Ann would tell me many times about how they met and how she kept calling him the wrong name but he didn’t seem to care. Often our conversation would lead to tears and handing her a box of kleenexes as we sat waiting for her color to process. She had lived a hard life in many ways but it always came back to how much she loved Bruce and the comfort she had as a baptized child of God.
In the fall of 2017, Bruce was diagnosed with cancer. It quickly traveled to his brain. The row behind me in choir was quieter without him there. The doctors gave him a handful of months.
He was admitted into the hospital in town known as: “The one you didn’t come out of alive.” It was known as the last stop before the end. Wayne and fellow members would often go and minister to him and Ann, who was almost always by his side. His diet was limited and it wasn’t the greatest hospital food, so Wayne asked me if I’d be willing to make something homemade for him. I made beef barley soup because Ann said it was his favorite. I was going to send it along with Wayne, but I hesitated because if he didn’t come out of the hospital, it might be my last chance to see him on this side of glory. I was torn. Food I can make! Visiting hospitals (especially this one) is quite another. With lots of prayer for strength, I packed up the hot soup forever referred to now as “Bruce’s Beef Barley Soup”, bowls, spoons, and disposable Thanksgiving plates that had written on them Give Thanks to the Lord, the irony of our surrounding not escaping my awareness.
Those memories of mine from that day are very bittersweet. I remember the anti- septic smell associated with hospitals, and this one was over 100 years old – literally a place of death. Framed pictures of their grandkids and pictures of the younger version of their family graced the windowsills. Little touches from home softened the feel of the room. Bruce was weak but sitting up in his bed, Ann sitting by his bedside. The four of us shared his favorite soup and we ate together with thankfulness. Afterwards we shared the bread and wine in communion, confessing our sinfulness and need for a Savior and receiving that forgiveness in Christ’s body and blood.
I expected to see him again when I left that day. The following week we were leaving for our annual Thanksgiving trip to Wisconsin and we’d only be gone a week. I recall looking back at him from the doorway though and just taking a moment.
The next week we arrived at my parent’s house and when we got back on wifi, Wayne’s phone blew up with messages. Bruce had passed away. We cut our holiday short and drove back to prepare for his funeral. We were devastated not be there for Ann in those early days but we knew that God knew all things and He was providing for her.
The choir that Bruce had been a part of sang our hearts out for his funeral. The message of that service was clear: He was now a Saint Triumphant!! While the rest of us are still in the Church Militant, we fight and move forward knowing that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is un- seen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17,18.
We will see Bruce again. I can’t wait for you to meet him!
Sweet Ann continues to fight and run the race. Would you please say a prayer for her too? Not long ago, we were shocked to hear the news that their daughter had died of a drug overdose while celebrating her 40th birthday. Ann was moved into an assisted living home. She sees her new “tablemate”, who is suffering from the early stages of dementia, as someone to help and care for with God’s help. She continues to remind her grieving grandchildren that Jesus is always there for them. Finally she confesses how blessed she is to have Jesus in her life. She knows she’s written in the Book of Life through her bap- tism and is comforted knowing the Holy Spirit entered her life then and continues to guide her. In Ann’s own words, “Thank God for Jesus - I do not have to worry!”
I expected to see him again when I left that day. The following week we were leaving for our annual Thanksgiving trip to Wisconsin and we’d only be gone a week. I recall looking back at him from the doorway though and just taking a moment.
The next week we arrived at my parent’s house and when we got back on wifi, Wayne’s phone blew up with messages. Bruce had passed away. We cut our holiday short and drove back to prepare for his funeral. We were devastated not be there for Ann in those early days but we knew that God knew all things and He was providing for her.
The choir that Bruce had been a part of sang our hearts out for his funeral. The message of that service was clear: He was now a Saint Triumphant!! While the rest of us are still in the Church Militant, we fight and move forward knowing that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is un- seen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17,18.
We will see Bruce again. I can’t wait for you to meet him!
Sweet Ann continues to fight and run the race. Would you please say a prayer for her too? Not long ago, we were shocked to hear the news that their daughter had died of a drug overdose while celebrating her 40th birthday. Ann was moved into an assisted living home. She sees her new “tablemate”, who is suffering from the early stages of dementia, as someone to help and care for with God’s help. She continues to remind her grieving grandchildren that Jesus is always there for them. Finally she confesses how blessed she is to have Jesus in her life. She knows she’s written in the Book of Life through her bap- tism and is comforted knowing the Holy Spirit entered her life then and continues to guide her. In Ann’s own words, “Thank God for Jesus - I do not have to worry!”
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