Good morning…
Late last month, I sent out an email to inner circle friends who had been a part of Julie Harlan’s celebration of life service. May 2nd was the one month anniversary of Julie’s passing from cancer, so I decided to host in my home a lunch for Julie’s spiritual friends who have become like family to one another.
With God I prayerfully prepared my home that morning. Out of the blue, I felt strongly compelled to hang a three foot, decorative cross on my living room wall, a cross I had recently found at the Goodwill store.
“Why spend my time doing that today, God, when I have so many other things to accomplish?” I prayed aloud. It made no sense to tackle that task at that time, but I was obedient to the inspired inkling. So, I got out the measuring tape. I found the center of the wall. Climbing atop a chair then onto the TV table, I marked the height of the cross on the wall. Then I got out my hammer, I got out a nail, and I hammered the nail into the wall. I hung the cross above our TV, drawing all eyes up to the symbol of death giving birth to new life.
When I got down from my perch and stepped back to see the product of my God-guided efforts, the cross hung centered, central, secure. Then the whirlwind of an old hymn swept through the wings of my heart, altered a bit in its long lasting lyric.
“She lives. She lives.
Julie Harlan lives today.
She walks with me and talks with me
along life’s narrow way.
She lives. She lives.
Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know she lives?
She lives within my heart.”
Because Julie lives within our hearts, it was such a joy to share food and drink, stories and prayers with a sweet circle of new spiritual friends.
May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and personally yours, my friends. Oh, yes! (Galatians 6:18, MSG),
…Sue…
