What will yours say??

A friend and pastor made a recent face-book post expressing that he enjoys walking through cemeteries to see what people have inscribed on their tombstones.  He asked what we thought our tombstone would say.  Wow!!!  Way to make my Thursday morning!  I've never even thought about that...but I guess I should.  Actually, my initial thought came quite quickly.  I'd like my inscription to say, "Dancing down by the Crystal Sea...sorry I missed you!"  :)  (Actually, by the way things are looking for the future, I probably won't even be able to afford a tombstone.  And, I realize it will certainly only be because of God's Grace and because of Jesus that I will bask by the Crystal Sea for all eternity.  I will finally live by the sea!)  Can you just imagine the sight??

I'm not quite sure how I got there, but I began thinking about a deep conversation that I had with a friend, co-worker and one of those instantaneous sisters-in-Christ.  Several months ago, she stopped into my office to process what she is going through with her dad and his grim prognosis of the "C-word."  Yes, Cancer.  All sorts of needs were going on in the Health office:  teachers needed me, students needed me...it seemed I was being pulled in a million directions.  Jesus whispered in my ear once again..."Listen up, Kris...be still...I am here."   So, I stopped and was fully present.  Nothing mattered more to me than that moment...absolutely nothing.  Everyone else's needs would just have to wait.  She poured out her heart and expressed how alone she felt in what she is experiencing and with the burden she is carrying.  Everything she said she owned and was uniquely her own.  She battles the black and white reports along with the hopes/questionable false hopes of the doctors.  What is hope?  She is certain God can heal her dad...but will He?  I felt so helpless.  There are no answers along these types of roads; I just cried with her and listened...with my whole heart.  I plan to be by her side...every~step~of~the~journey.  I'm not going anywhere.  It is amazing how much we bond with others when there is guttural honesty and vulnerability.

So, I realize you might think my tombstone inscription may seem extremely shallow or selfish.  But, much more important than that...I want it to simply read, "She was a faithful, loyal and caring friend...through the good, the bad, and the ugly...to the end."   This morning's challenge has certainly spurred some introspection.  This song pretty much sums it up for me:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbFQrYKaaYE.

Not to be dark, but I'm curious...what will your inscription say??