I’m surprised she didn’t ask the doctor to make one too. When the doctor asked her if there was anything else, she said, Yes, she wanted to pay her church pledge and make her gift to the capital campaign. She said she that what she wanted was to be with her family, write letters and emails to let friends know what was happening, maybe watch some junk TV., read a good book, hear beautiful music. She named her approaching death directly to her loved ones. Jean’s hand written message to all of us, so much more precious than gold.Ĭhurch leader Margaret Gudmundsson loved life, but accepted what was happening to her body. When I shared Jean’s words with our son Ben, he said, those must be the most important words for anyone to say to anyone any time. What greater treasure is there than learning that Jean Moore in the last days of her life wrote on a slip of paper next to her bed these words: “I forgive you. We witness each other’s journeys and learn from one another. He wonders, how do people go through illness and loss without such a He gives thanks for the cards, the stream of people coming by to show their love. All these angels, he calls them, came in and out of their home. He thinks of all those who had come to his and Jean’s home to take turns offering care. As people, who were grieving like him, spoke around the circle, none of them had a religious community. Bob attended a hospital’s grief support group. And there are visits, good wishes, cards and supercards, songs, cheers, meals, rides, hands to hold.Ĭhurch member Bob Moore’s beloved partner Jean recently died. People spread the word when someone needs care and support. Our care for one another is more precious than gold. They stand on the side of love and join with neighbors in support of the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program.Ī beautiful thing ~ commitment, passion, joining with the larger community GRIP, CCISCO, Read Aloud, working together for everyone’s right to vote, health care, education, a job, home, a decent meal. All of us breathing, all our hearts beating ~ a song of gladness of praise and thanksgiving.īeing together…children leading worship, beautiful music, warm greetings, silence shared, stillness we enter together.Ĭonnecting with others is precious, coming out of isolation and giving to one another. In this just right Goldilocks zone astronomers search for life. Their temperatures are neither too hot or too cold for water to exist. Our galaxy may have 11 billion earth-like planets. It was reported this week that 150 billion stars, much like earth’s sun, blaze throughout the Milky Way. What is precious to you? What fills your heart with awe? Your lips with praise? Your mind with wonder? The Psalms in the Hebrew scriptures sing praise for what is more precious than gold, sweeter than honey. You could do the same with a stone.”Ī look of awareness came across Abdullah’s face and he fell silent. Even when you had the gold, you never did anything with it other than stare at it. “How can you make fun of me at a time like this,” cried Abdullah. “You want your gold? Just pick up a heavy stone and drop it in the hole. He grieved the way people mourn the loss of a loved one.įinally, a neighbor came forward and asked him to stop it. On his next visit, Abdullah found the hole empty. It wasn’t long before a curious soul discovered the gold, let out a yell of joy and ran away with the miser’s treasure. Abdullah checked on his treasure daily.īut, can you really keep a hiding place hidden if you look at it every day? Before long, the town was whispering about Abdullah’s mysterious visits to the unused well. He was sure no thief would find that place. He dug a hole in the ground near an unused well and buried the gold. One day, with all his money, he bought a huge lump of gold. As he walked the town, children sometimes called out “Kanjoos, Kanjoos,” “miser, miser.”Īs the years went by, Abdullah took satisfaction in his growing pile of money. Stingy to the core, he went out in his worn-out clothes. He thought people are out to rob the rich so he pretended to be poor. He was one of the richest people in town, but you could easily mistake him for a beggar.
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