Grandma Adeline's Life Celebration Service

Dad speaks (above 2 photos)

My sister and cousin share (above)

"Whispering Hope," a favorite hymn (above)

Pastor Jensen speaks (above 3 photos)

"My God and I," another favorite (above)

Dick sings "Precious Lord" (above)

Dick and lovely friend (above)

Mom with dear friends we met
at the rehab center (above)
Grandma was roommate with LeeAnn's mom.

Mom with physical therapist and rehab center staff
who cared for Grandma so we could visit! (above)

Mom with Helen, Aunt Judy's caregiver
and our dear friend (above)

Church supporters and friends! (above)

My parents with longtime family friends (above)
Ray led my dad to the Lord.

Longtime Skyway Baptist Church friends! (above)
Grandma was a charter member there.

Childhood pastors and family friends,
Pastor and Thelma Jensen (above)

We love cousins and friends! (above 3 photos)

Grandma's graduation documents (above 3 photos)

My parents (above)

They planned such special services
for us to celebrate Grandma
and her faith in Jesus.
Thank you Mom N Dad!
I love you!

Today we celebrated
Grandma
Adeline McIntyre's
Life.

Why do you celebrate Life
when someone has died?

Many reasons.
Family.
Faith.
Hope.
Love.

A call to focus on the living.
A call to know Jesus.

3 days in the grave
the 3rd day Jesus arose,
"Hallelujah! Christ arose!"

"It's always darkest before the dawn,"
Grandma said often.

"Though weeping last for a night,
Joy comes in the morning," the Psalmist said.

Rise Up,
Call Her Blessed!

God let our 3rd day
of mourning
begin with life anew
Risen,
Healed,
Whole,
Glorified.

Words speak the good news boldly,
but the Kingdom of Heaven
comes with power.

"Precious to God is the death of His Saints."

Excellent Examples

Dad told me he felt excited
to share about
Grandma and the Lord
so much so he
smiled
before he fell asleep the night before.
I learn by such
faithful
compassionate
loving
examples.
I know I am not alone.
There are more people
to love
to encourage
to share.

Saving Grace

I asked God today
to help me know
without doubt
I am a Christian
as I want to be.

Dad spoke at the service,
"We make it far too complicated.
If you believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ,
then you will
-- you will --
be saved."

How special to receive
affirmation and
answered prayer
from my dad.

A New Confidence

Pastor Clements compared the
body to a tent
-- leaky and stinky --
a fair trade
"To be absent from the body
is to be present with
the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8).
I now know
confidence
believing this to be true.

Real Power

Death truly has no
lasting power
over me
because I believe
Jesus died, rose again, and will return
to make all things new
including our bodies.
Why wouldn't a Creator
redeem his entire masterpiece?
God will save
mind, body, and spirit
because of Jesus.

Fear Not

"I don't fear death.
I used to as a non-believer,
but I don't now,
especially with being around
my mother-in-law."

Grandma encouraged me
to not fear anything
Satan threw at me.

Do What You Can

Pastor Jensen spoke also.
Of Mary, "Jesus said,
'She did what she could.'
That's all God asks of us,
is that we do what we can,
just like Adeline."

Know Your Path

"He knows the way I take,"
wrote Job, and quoted Grandma often.

Pastor reminded us,
"There's a way that seems right
to a person, but that way leads to death.
Be sure you are on the right path."

Photo Gifts

Dad later thanked me for the photos.
"I realized almost all those
photos are because of you," He said.
I told him thank you,
that meant a lot to me.Design Flowers,
Give GiftsGrandma used to
design flowers for church.
Now it was our turn.
We made flowers for her.

Grandma's death
affirmed
my gifts in
writing and photography
are best used
to comfort
to encourage
and to heal
myself and others
in loss.

Gratitude

I'm proud of my
dad, sister, and cousin
for speaking.
Dick sang, "Precious Lord,"
and flowers and photos decorated the sanctuary.

I'm grateful for the church
who volunteered to
sing,
cook,
speak,
and pray
for us to honor Grandma's life
and God's life in Christ
inside of her.

I appreciated the pastor's
closing prayer
that prayed for
comfort
for our family
and
joy
as we hope and celebrate
Grandma's new life
without shadow or death.

"Death is a transition," Grandma said.

Be Glad

I valued cheerful candor
with family and friends today.
"I don't want to mourn her anymore," he said.
He told me earlier he wants to
celebrate her life
"that's what this service is for," he reminded me.
"We've mourned more in the last 2 days
than she would have wanted."

Love-Kudos

On that note,
my dad reminded us
that she would not want us
speaking of her.
"Any compliment you gave her
she'd shrug her shoulders,
and turn it around on you."
It's true, Grandma did not
relish in any praise
focused as she was
on trusting
and loving
her Savior.

Sing-spirational!

Grandma liked music.
We sang her favorites today.
I enjoyed
being with
old friends from church
that I had known
all growing up!

Greeting the Living

My parents humbled me
as they cheerfully
greeted guests
passing out programs and
the photo favors I had made.
I want to have
their attitude of
caring,
kindness,
and compassion
made all the more
bittersweet
in loss.

No, Never Alone!

"It's not good to be alone,"
Pastor York reminded me
prior to Grandma's death.
Then I thought I could
"do life" alone,
but now I know better,
grateful am I
to continue
a legacy
of
faith,
hope,
and love
with loved ones in my life.

Love LastsGrandma reminds me,
"Words are nice,"
but love in action
is better.
These 3 remain:
faith, hope, and love,
the greatest of these?
Love.
God's virtues,
Son,
and people
provide the continuity
I want to heal and to grow.

All in All

Pastor Jensen said
Grandma used to reply,
"He is my all in all"
when they spoke about
Jesus.

You were right, Grandma.
He is our all in all.
Only Jesus
gives Life.

Arise to the
Sweet Light
of Heaven


Grandma had told me
one day last May,

"I'm here for as long as
God wants me to be here.
When he's finished with
what he has for me to do,
then he will take me
to the sweet light of heaven.
I don't want you to
weep and wail,
but to say,
'Hallelujah, she's with the Lord!'"

Grandma's trust worked in tandem with
her pragmatic personality.
Why waste time worrying
when you could pray,
and why waste tears
when you could praise?

Welcome
to the land of the living,
Grandma.
We shall look for God's goodness,
as you did,
in ours!

Awakening to Joy

I awoke the morning
following Grandma's service
and realized I
experienced Joy
-- Joy in fellowship --
just as Grandma... enjoyed!
How fitting to rise after
the 3rd day of our mourning
reflecting on Joy.

Mourning and Living
We mourn only
because we miss her here.
We live
because Jesus lives.
So we grieve
with hope.Just as the hymn
"Whispering Hope"
sings:
"making my heart
in its sorrow
rejoice."

I welcome
the distinction!

Tender Mercies,
God's Grace

I thank God for
sustaining me
with his
mercy and grace.

I thank God for
answering my prayers.
How poignant
to explore
fear of death
through my interactions
with Grandma
in my research class
the same term
she died.

I agree with Grandma.
God is good.

I thank Grandma for
preparing us
by a lifetime modeling
faith,
hope,
and love
so we can continue
in her stead.

Grandma Adeline's
Life Celebration Service:

James shared
that being alive,
existing,
is not enough.
It's what we do
with the lives
we're given
that matters.

As Pastor Jensen once said,
"The best way to honor someone
is to follow their example."

A Call to a Legacy!Thank you, Grandma!
Thank you, Lord Jesus!

Thank you for reading,
for your prayers,
kind words,
support,
and for sharing the journey,
Dena

A Bouquet for Grandma & A Handful of Soil

Burying Grandma at Tahoma National Cemetary,

Kent, Wash., 29 January 2010 (above)

Pastor Clements (above 2 photos)

Singing "My God and I" (above 2 photos)

Dad speaking (above 4 photos)

Pastor Jensen speaking (above 2 photos)

Our niece's corsage and our bouquet on Grandma's casket (above)

Laying Grandma to rest with Grandpa's headstone,
our flower bouquet, and a handful of soil (above 3 photos)

Aunt Judy's grave (above)

"Morning has broken..." (above)

Today we buried Grandma.

Covered by a
hazy soft
sun soft
Day.

Today I prayed,

"Deliver me from every evil deed,
from the lion's mouth,
and enter me safely into your kingdom,
to you be the glory and honor
forever."

Today I remembered,

"Our bodies are members of Christ's body,
and of each other."

Later I read,

part of Grandma's poem,
from her service program,

"When evening shadows fall,
I say to Christ as Savior,
Thank you for your guidance
and for being at my call."

I know Grandma is safe.

Grave, Where is Your Sting?

I used to fear the grave.
Dark, cold, wet,
but today God gave me special
moments
experiences:

Scented Bouquets,
Soft Soil

I tossed the carnation bouquet
that we made this morning
onto her casket
after the grave workers have lowered
Her casket into the grave.
The bouquet
-- coral carnations sage-trimmed and white --
clanged against the metal
as it landed,

While I said,
"Until we meet again, Grandma,
I love you"
As the grave workers stood by
patiently waiting
and Nikki and Aaron watched
And hugged each other
from behind me.

Then I threw in a handful of soil,
brown, soft, rich
-- comforting --
never fear some,
for the soil
and the flowers
are the land.
God fashioned people
from the land
and with the breath of his mouth.
The land is God's
the land is ours
the land is made to be beautiful.

A Spirit of Love Fears Not

I wasn't afraid.
I felt relieved
because we three
-- Aaron, Nikki, and I --
tended to Grandma one last moment
before she laid to rest.
Rest is peaceful
and not terrifying.

"God has not given us
a spirit of fear, but of
power, love, and a sound mind."

"God has made us His children
so we can call out to him."

ReUnited

Grandma is not alone because she's
One with Christ
part of us
and the land shelters
Her form until
Jesus returns and
the Angels' trumpet
shall resound louder
than any machine
used to bury her.
Indeed, loud enough
to wake the dead.

Triumph

"The dead in Christ
Shall rise first, and we
Shall reunite with them
and Christ
in the clouds."

Speaking to Serve

Mom and Dad's pastor Clements spoke
about knowing and following Jesus,
a message we knew Grandma would want us to share.
I appreciated this pastor
showing compassion to my mom
by hugging her and telling everyone
that it was okay to cry.

Pastor Jensen read from 1 Thessalonians,
speaking on the resurrection,
having known our family
since he buried
Great Grandma Marie.

Dad spoke
on this life being short,
So follow Jesus,
Who was the only one who endured separation from God.
We won't know that fate,
Dad said.

As Grandma once said,
"This life the only hell a Christian will experience."

Singing "My God and I"

Pastor, Dick, and Melody sang
one of Grandma's favorite hymns,
"My God and I,"
We walk through the meadow's hue
together
We walk and talk,
just as good friends do.
This earth shall pass,
but my God and I
We remain.

Yay, Grandma,
You made it,
You are with the Lord!

Knowing Love is Stronger than Death

I felt joy to
feel love to
comfort, to
give and receive hugs and kisses
with family
and friends.
I know again that
"Love is stronger than death,
More unyielding than the grave."

When I was afraid,
I didn't know that.
When I fear,
I forget.

"Perfect love casts
out fear,
for fear has to do with judgment."

If love is greater than death,
then love gives
and keeps life.

Death, Where is Your Victory?

If judgment means death,
and fear comes from judgment,
but love casts out fear,
then love is present at death,
So death is not such
a scary final thing
is it?

Restless Sleep

I had struggled to fall asleep last night
because when I saw Grandma at the viewing,
and rubbed her arms
covered in her pretty blue floral dress,
I realized for the first time
that she couldn't raise her arms
to embrace me.
That realization hit me hard
before I fell asleep,
and I wrestled with my thoughts,
bidding the tears stay inside,
and leave me be,
so I could sleep.

Grandma does not want such sorrow for me.
Yes, I miss her hugs,
that open, loyal, caring,
and yet practical love.
I had wrestled with my thoughts,
"Think of something else
-- anything --
doesn't it get easier?"

I prayed.

Ebbing Grief,
Stemming Tide

Then I remembered what Grandma said,
"Grief lessens over time,
but it doesn't go away completely."
This assures me on two counts:
The grief will lessen,
So I can live,
and move forward with my life,
and the grief will stay,
so I can remember
with love.

Living Memories Live On

I want to remember her alive,
believing this to be
her true form now
and when Jesus returns.
"Look up," Grandma said,
"Don't fear, for your redemption draws near."
This moment isn't so far away.

Beauty Beholds A New Face

Even though I miss her,
her hugs, conversation, smile, vivid eyes,
and her person,
I realized
-- I almost missed it --
that she wasn't wearing her oxygen tube anymore.
And her face looked beautiful without it.

Rousing Dreams

Last night I had struggled to fall asleep.
As I drifted twice to sleep,
a dream startled me awake.
I saw her face as it was at the viewing,
and her eyes snapped open to look at me.
I gasped out loud,
and the second time I told God
I didn't know whether
to feel
startled,
disturbed,
or happy.
I've chosen the latter.
She will wake up.
This I know for certain.

Supernaturally New

Still it's unnatural
to bury a person in the earth
because we weren't made for that.
God made a way
so I look forward to a
new creation,
new heaven,
new earth,
when the old passes away
instead of people.

Anyone in Christ
is a new creation
the old has gone
the new has come.

So we've a bit of paradise
inside us now
And is name is
Immanuel,
God with us,
Jesus.

God Remembers the Sparrows

This morning I had worried how I would feel
when we lowered Grandma in the earth today.
A bird chirped,
sweetly and simply,
outside the office window.
It told me the earth is not such a bad thing,
reminding me that God cares
for even the Sparrows that fall.

Grandma was sweet,
and she sang sweetly.
Grandma has died.
God cares for her, too,
as he does those who remain.

After all,
the birds need a tree with branches
to make a home and to sing.
Trees grow from seeds,
and the seeds must first
enter the earth
to shed its hull,
and so transform
to a new form,
a shelter,
larger
and more life-weilding
than before.

A tree never wished
to return to a seed.

Growing God's Kingdom

Jesus was right
when he compared
the kingdom of heaven
to a seed.

Healing Hearts,
Kindred Spirits

"God is close to the brokenhearted,
and save those crushed in spirit."

"The Spirit gives life to the body."

If God's Spirit is within Christians,
and our spirit goes to be with God,
leaving the body behind,
then our spirits are much closer than we think.
This can be a comfort to those
who intensely feel a chasm,
who see Death's facade as permanent.

As in a Mirror,
As By a Shadow

Make our faces reflect
your joy to deliver us
from our sorrow,
God and Grandma!

"We behold his glory
as in a mirror."
This life is as a shadow
cast by a tree
the tree is real,
yet we believe the shadow.

Feeling Love

When Grandma died,
while I cried,
I did not feel her death,
I felt her love.
So, too, with God.
Together, our love
yields life
and continuity.

New Address

No more beautiful name to look for
on her door
at Talbot
in hospitals
"Adeline McIntyre"
Room 256A
206A.

"It's all part of the process,"
I heard her say a couple times today,
just as she said to Grandpa.
A practical faith helps me
to find my way.

I still have a place to visit her,
though it's a new place now,
and so different,
it's quiet,
natural,
and beautiful,
and though I know such things are temporary,
they're symbols,
a place that I can go
to reflect and pray.

More importantly,
When I pray,
God hears me,
and Grandma is with God,
So she's not so far,
and her residence now is
Sweeter than any here
this world could provide.

Prayer

I love you, Grandma.
Sleep well in form,
rejoice in spirit
as you see Jesus' face
first of all,
just as you wished,
the Day you joined Him
in Paradise.

God keep her safe,
Pass her through
The fire unscathed,
the water uncovered,
and enter her safely into Your kingdom.

Fulfill Your purpose for her,
continue Your purpose through
and for us.
Make room for your good news
in our hearts, minds,
the work of our hands,
-- our very lives.
Reunite us again
to worship you
in spirit and
in truth:

Let us believe today,
without doubt's shadow,
as we peer from behind Death's shadow, that
Jesus, You are
our Way,
our Truth, and
our Life,
and we come to God
with and through you.

P.S.

Mom,
they buried Grandma
with Grandpa
and his headstone,
so they are no longer alone in that form,
they sleep together.
Did you see the sun stream
through the trees?
Remember:
Joy comes in the morning.

I tossed my bouquet into Grandma's grave,
along with a handful of soil.

Credits

Thank you to

• Tahoma National Cemetery and Faull-Stokes' Mortuary staff,
• Pastors Clements, Jensen, Thelma, Melody, and families,
• the landscape staff for promising to take good care of Grandma,
• the volunteer veterans,
• Dad for speaking (I'm proud of you!),
• and my parents for planning a special burial service for Grandma today.

Thank you to

• Cousin Barbi, for asking how I was doing and complimenting me on my progress;
• Cousin Aaron, for watching them bury Grandma with Nikki and I (we got your back, too, Cousin!);
• Cousin Tonia, for seeking me out for a hug;
• Cousin Amy, for being smart, cool, speaking my language, and be accepted to law school (Congratulations!);
• Uriah, Paige, Cody, Cody, and Meredith for being part of our family;
• Aunts Dora, Yvonne, and Laura, for supporting me in your unique way;
• Aunt Dora, for bringing Aunt Judy pink flowers;
• Uncle Alan, for giving me a handkerchief at Grandpa's wake years ago (I still have it);
• Cousin Jason, for saying hello with a friendly smack,
• Ruthie and Ron, for being faithful friends to Grandma and our family through the years;
• Andy, for supporting me and my family by coming;
• and so many others for being there.
• I am so grateful to have a family. It's wonderful to feel centered on love and unity again. It's difficult to fall to pieces in a nest of family called home. Let's keep in touch.

Lastly, Thank you to

• James, for remembering, procuring, and helping me style the flowers, one for Grandma and one for Mom. The drive was beautiful today, wasn't it?
• Grandma's pallbearers, Dad, Uncle Alan, Cousins Jason and Aaron, Ron, and James.
• Grandma, for mentoring and preparing me for this moment;
• and to God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, for sticking with me after the festivities quiet down
• and for helping me to fall asleep last night. I'm glad we're not alone because of you, "God with us."

Thank you for reading,
Dena