Good morning…
Yesterday, we celebrated our friend’s birthday in her beautiful, newly-built abode. Her welcoming home has been a two and a half year building project, a complete labor of love. Our fabulous friendship has been a nearly twenty year building project, a complete gift of God’s love. We have journeyed beside Jennifer DeShelter (top left corner) as she has lived life to the very fullest with her precious family of four. Battling neuroblastoma for fifteen fertile years, Audrey, Jennifer’s daughter, went to heaven in June, just hours before her twentieth birthday.
Over the years we, as faithful friends, have shared many salty tears, many late night texts, many “Let’s circle up!” celebrations of NED (no evidence of disease). Together, we have experienced delicious food and drink, a fun trip to the lake, and standing in solidarity beside Audrey’s open casket. We have processed relapse after relapse, waited through scan after scan, hoped in harsh treatment after harsh treatment. Together, we have hosted prayer vigils, organized a meal train after Audrey’s passing, and prayed deeply and diligently throughout the whole excruciating ordeal.
Then three and a half months into our process of grief, yesterday’s gathering was saturated with Audrey’s contagious joy. (If you remember correctly, Audrey’s middle name is Joy, a name she now fully embodies in heaven with Jesus.)
We laughed. We shared memories. We heard a new story about Jennifer and her husband Ben being the three year old Sunday school teachers for sweet Abby Smith (another child from our church family who journeyed with neuroblastoma from age two and half until Jesus carried her to heaven at age seven). We talked about last month’s standing-room-only mass held in Audrey’ honor at Notre Dame, a loving community where she spent one fun semester as a college freshman. We learned about the work at a law firm and the future plans of Audrey’s brother Scott. We ate yummy food, sang happy birthday, and enjoyed a decadent chocolate raspberry cake.
As one friend later shared the funny selfie we took, Jennifer wrote, “Sue, I love your blog today.”
Yesterday’s blog post was entitled Live Without Regret, and together we experiencing the wisdom firsthand, face to face.
- Faith does not erase sorrow; it steadies us inside it. It lifts our gaze beyond the grave.
- Laughter will rise again – not because the ache is gone, but because God is faithful to restore joy.
- Don’t rush the season. Don’t silence your tears. Let your tears fall as prayers.
- Hold close to the ones who are still here. Call them. Forgive them. Laugh with them. Be silly with them.
- Linger longer at the table and listen well.
- Look back and sing the chorus I now whisper in grateful prayer, “No regrets, Lord. Not one.”
For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity, and you have been given full life in union with him (Colossians 2:9-10a, GNT).
…Sue…
