A Smile from Meghan...

This post is kind of a follow-up to "A Song for Melody." Melody passed into the arms of her Lord after a long and courageous fight with cancer on April 27th. The funeral was yesterday in Somerset, KY and God saw fit to keep the rain away until later in the day. All in all it went as well as funerals can go I guess. I did not give the message, but I spoke a little about how strong Melody was and how her faith sustained her. Her family asked if I could sing the old hymn, "Till the Storm Passes By" because I had sung that for Melody just a day before she was taken to the hospital for the last time, and she really enjoyed it. I was honored to help them by doing that.

During Melody's final days at the hospital, I was finally introduced to Meghan, her daughter. She had put her faith in Jesus at our little church some years back before I arrived, along with her mom. Meghan is a student at Western KY University, and was missing her last couple of weeks of classes to be by her mom's bedside. She stayed right there, holding her hand, rubbing her arms, and talking to her dad. Even though she was hurting deeply, she did not cry much. She would occasionally leave the room to get a pop and talk with many of her friends that were there too. Melody treated them all like her daughters, and they all loved her like she was their mom. For the most part, however, Meghan stayed right there.

During the funeral service, the family played a song by Brad Paisley, "When I get Where I am Going." The chorus includes the words,

"But when I get where I'm going, And I see my maker's face

I'll stand forever in the light Of His amazing grace

Yeah when I get where I'm going There'll be only happy tears.

I will shed the sins and struggles I have carried all these years.

And I'll leave my heart wide open, I will love and have no fear.

Yeah when I get where I'm going

Don't cry for me down here."

I happened to look over at Meghan just as those words were sung, and she looked at me. We held each other's gaze for a few seconds, and then out of what I am sure was a heart heavy with loss - she smiled at me. It was a smile that reflected her understanding that her mom was no longer fighting cancer, and she was in a much, much, better place. The long day was worthwhile if only just for that.