"I wanna know how forever feels." - Kenny Chesney
I couldn't get enough of that song in the months before our wedding day. I had finally found my "forever" in Tony.
Forever.
Four years later, I've changed my thoughts on forever. My 4-year degree in widowhood and grief have taught me well that I'm just not in control of measuring time, of measuring life. I caught myself recently saying, "this is just not how I thought my forever would turn out."
Forever. Perhaps that word is best reserved for things not of this earth.
Forever is for eternity.
How can it be that time can be measured here on earth, but not in heaven? Our time here is fleeting, it begins to run out the very moment of our first breathe. Our time in eternity goes on forever; it has no end.
It's essentially time-less.
His shattered watch stopped at 6pm on March 23, 2010. That's how we knew the time of Tony's fall. That's when he entered into a new realm of time, one that only adds days, never subtracts.
It's one that my Tony never lost sight of even while making the most of each day he spent on earth. I found this in his Bible recently:
Our dear friends' daughter, Ruby, drew this picture below the day after Tony died. It portrays so well what that time transfer looked like through the eyes of a child. She was 5 at the time and loved Tony like an uncle. Her mom said she was so matter-of-fact in explaining her drawing: Tony (on the left) falling from the mountain and the angel (on the right) catching him in mid-air before hitting the ground.
I love the way she has him smiling as he enters into the arms of eternity. To be absent in the body is to be present with The Lord.
I find great comfort in these verses:
"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:23-26 NIV)
Forever is what compels me to keep moving forward. Forever is worth all the tears, all the pain. Forever is my finish line.
4 years and forever to come. I miss you, Tony Edge.
Dearly loved,
Melissa
*TEAR ... I'm balling here, Melissa but it's not only of sadness but also from happiness. Happiness to know that Tony is woth our Lord. That's he is an Angel looking over you. You have remained so strong these past 4 years and it's such an admiration. You are a true inspiration and I love how you have continue the legacy of Tony. You are a true wife forever!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cess. You're always so encouraging of my journey and I am so grateful.
DeleteMelissa
Melissa, I don't know you although I feel as if I do from reading your blog. I come to your blog because I see Jesus. In the way you have suffered, in your faithfulness and dependence, in your honesty, I see Jesus. I hate for you that you had to experience such loss and suffering and at the same time, I marvel at your strength, your growth, your ability to put one foot in front of the other and keep walking forward. I pray for you and know that God will continue to grow you, comfort you and strengthen you. Although you would never haven chosen this path, none of us would, you are living your life unconventionally for eternity - the jewels in your crown will be many.
ReplyDeleteHi Jan,
DeleteThanks so much for reading along with my journey and for your words of prayer and support. That means so much. Jesus...He's enough.
Melissa