Rebecca Dianne Moore

 

These are words I was blessed to speak at Rebecca's service today:

When I think of my friend, Rebecca, I see her framed in the word mercy.  These past few days I’ve listened to others describe her kindness, gentleness, Sally used the word “purity”. We all could describe Rebecca with terms of goodness.

I believe that every encounter any of you had with her – you left feeling affirmed and encouraged.

In the hours after we got news that she had taken ill –I asked several of my friends to be in prayer – One of them prayed “LORD have mercy”. 

Scripture says – blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy –”

Mercy has been a term that has resonated with me during this whole time –

Early in our friendship I realized Rebecca had a unique gift of mercy .

And Rebecca modeled Mercy for each of us.  Her gentleness, humor and humility caused each of us to be drawn to her. Rebecca was FUN!

 I think she would be uncomfortable with all the accolades –

our love for her has brought us all together.

 Rebecca loved get togethers –

She told me the other day that the 4^th of July family get together was her thing!

She served – she cared- When I was in chemo seven years ago – Terry would take me to treatments and then need to go teach his university class – Rebecca would pick me up and we would go to lunch.  I was high on steroids and we’d lunch, laugh and shop.  She was there to help.  Often she brought food to cover our needs for that time 24 hours later when I would crash from treatments.  Rebecca helped to  make sense of the health challenges Terry and I have faced.

Rebecca and I would get together every summer before I returned to teaching and catch up.  With CoVid – we let too much time slip by and three weeks ago today we had a chance to catch up once more.

I see that as a God gift for me. 

  Our lunches always lasted at least 3 hours and the restaurant staff would be ready to kick us out. It took that long for us to catch up.

We didn’t take selfies of our lunches – just two grannies sharing pictures and stories of our kids and grands.  .  She loved you so . . . all of you.  Canton, Eloise, Oxley and Edison – your Mimi loved any time she could be with you.

 Family was the focus of our conversations. I came to know so many of you through our time together over these past 12 -15 years. Rebecca was proud of you – so proud. 

In our last texts two weeks ago, I was able to tell her once again of my respect for her and further tell her that “she breathed life into her family”.

That LIFE drew her family together and – supported them in tough times and ministered to you boys and to Paul.

And I see traits of her’s  in you men

 --Ryan – the guardian looking after dad

– Tyler – taking care of details – looking after all the guests at the hospital to take that off his dad –

and Adam that effervescient spark of Rebecca’s – reminding us to stay strong.

She breathed life -- 

Rebecca loved growing things – plants, flowers, people.

We had to delay our lunch the other day because she was catching the cooler air to work in the yard.  I could understand fully since we shared a love of gardening.  

Rebecca loved God and His creation -

As she breathes life into you now – she would want you to know –

1.       Even in this hard time – God can be trusted.  For what we don’t understand – the why of all this – HE can be trusted and HE WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH THESE HARD, HARD TIMES.  He didn’t answer our prayers in the way we asked . that’s the 800 # Elephant in the room.

But HE is with us now – getting us through.  He’s the God of carrying grace – or MERCY.  2 Corinthians 1 calls Him - the God of compassion.  He feels your pain and cares.

This mercy passage has always been important to me:

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings.  Psalm 57:1

2.      SHE WOULD TELL YOU TO STICK TOGETHER – People would love to be a part of what you all have as a family. This is a tight-knit family.  You all have lived close enough to BE THERE for each other – we in the Bell family often envied your big clan!

I LOVE Col. 1:17 – He is before all things and in HIM all things hold together.  Jesus is there for when you feel as if your world is coming apart. We talked about all the hard times that have come to your family during CoVid.   Your worlds have been rocked many times in recent months and the God of carrying grace – mercy has brought you through.  HE will do it again.

3.      She would tell you to be kind – to affirm others and one another.

In this changing culture we live in just now, it can be hard to see goodness. It’s not often we see kindness and we long for people to give us grace.  All of these things are in short supply in our world.  These are characteristics that most exemplify Jesus.  – Rebecca demonstrated those qualities most characteristic of Christ.

As we were wrapping up our time together . . .

She expressed a concern that the political climate in today’s culture was dividing friends - even in Churches.  Rebecca practiced loving first and giving the benefit of the doubt –a person of PEACE. . . giving mercy

Hebrews 11 recounts the stories of the heroes of the faith– and goes on to say they did not receive all they were waiting for but looked forward to the promise that was coming. .  . Hebrews 12 calls these heroes of the faith a large cloud of witnesses.

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus

Rebecca the affirmer – the encourager – your biggest cheerleader

Is part of that heavenly crowd – cheering you on.

She breathed life into me as well – that’s what mercy does.

 

Psalm 116:15

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.  What is painful here is precious in Heaven.  Some day we will understand - but for now we lean in to the God of compassion.