Treasure the Memories

He left us too quickly. Suddenly. As if it really was in the twinkling of an eye. One step on the sidewalk, the next one on the golden streets in Heaven. It is hard to wrap my earthly mind around this, but Roger's favorite Bible stories were about Enoch, Elijah and Elisha, so maybe this exit should not surprise me. I know God is faithful and that Roger believed that God numbered our days from beginning to end and in living every day fully and completely. He loved God. He loved people. I don't want to forget the lessons he taught me by living it. So I write.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Tabebuia

Tabebuia - you know how to pronounce this, right?

 This is the tree that announces springtime in Florida. Yes, it may be snowing elsewhere and the old groundhog may insist it is still winter, but in Florida, we follow the Tabebuia!

 Also called the Golden Trumpet tree, we are going to begin to call it Roger's Homecoming Tree. Celebration of Life Tree. Golden like Heaven's Streets Tree. 

 And we hope to plant one where Roger stepped into Heaven. 

 Interestingly, Roger had said to someone on shift on Sunday, that if the trumpet sounded, he was ready to go...and even if it didn't sound, he was ready.  I know that sounds kind of eerie, especially if you happen to be reading this and do not happen to have that earthly journey/heavenly home perspective on life....but Roger did.  Kind of wish he had told me he said that when he came in on Monday morning. We would have rejoiced together, I'm sure, but I am just as sure that I would not have thought it meant "today." 

 Trees are cool. They provide shade, protection, food for little birdies and bees, and beauty. We picked this tree for Roger because it really reminds us of him.  TRUMPET - being ready all the time. (TPA  Think Plan Act, you know)  GOLDEN - Ah, streets of gold in heaven...the Bible says.
BEAUTY - he was a simple guy, but he did like beauty and nature, but not in a crazy over the top kind of way. Actually, he believed that God made it all...so much so, that if I asked him to prune a tree, he said "if God wanted the limb on the ground, He would drop it and I would pick it up".

 Most of all though...this tree flowers in FEBRUARY. It only flowers once, then it drops its blooms and the leaves come out. It does not look so attractive in the dead of winter though, all barren and scrawny.  But...you  know what...life is like that. Without Christ....all barren and not so attractive, empty... but with Christ...alive, beautiful...and just waiting for those trumpets to sound so we can hit those Golden Streets and finally see Jesus.   JUST WOW!     

 Lesson....just be ready. Ready for trumpets to sound, or not. Just ready to see Jesus. 





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