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 4th 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.
