Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail of beautiful memories.This week I lost a dear, cherished friend in community. As I journeyed with her these last few months, weeks, days, and minutes, I received much grace. You see it is a kind of purification to watch someone you love suffer and let go. The paschal mystery was so evident in her death. Unless a seed falls to the ground and dies…. I had been praying a song by David Haas– Take me Home– I thought I was praying it for her, but actually in hindsight, it was more for me, in allowing myself to let go and release her. The words to the song and my prayer express it so most eloguently as my attempts to express this experience of letting go of Laney are so inadequate. It is comforting to remember “in eternity, you are just a moment away, only a moment.”
Take me Home to your dwelling place, in Your sweet embrace, ready to hold me, in your arms, take me home to your loving eyes, with You alone I’ll rise, singing forever in Your arms, take me home.
O my God, you’ve led me through it all, through all my hurt and my shame.
O my God, I traveled far to meet You, to see Your face, and call upon Your name.
With You all pain is left behind, no sorrow or death on that day.
O my God, how I’ve longed to know Your love,
come wipe my tears and take my fear away.
O my God, the road is long and hard. Open Your heart, come to me.
God with You my sorrow turns to dancing.
Reach out Your hand and set my spirit free.
Take me Home to Your dwelling place, in Your sweet embrace, ready to hold me, in Your arms. Take me home to Your loving eyes, with You alone I’ll rise, singing forever in Your arms take me home.–David Hass