A Talk In The Moonlight

Late last night, as I do on many nights, I took a drive around our county. I often do this since Terry went home. It helps relax me and makes me want to go home and go to sleep...well, most of the time it does anyway!

There was a full moon out...no, that's not a picture of it, but it is a stunning picture of a full moon! Last night's moon was beautifully mesmerising . I was held in rapt attention to it as I drove around. It was otherwise cloudy, but the scintillating moon had rolled the clouds from her path in order to shine in all her heavenly splendor!

Mists of fog lay hauntingly over the little valleys and on the hillsides. Deer roamed the night in search of food. The barking of dogs could be heard in the distance. I was captive to this awe inspiring dance of nature as I drove, stopping often just to sit with the windows lowered to fully enjoy the beauty around me.

I was reminded of the Scripture from Psalms 19:1 which says "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. " As I looked around the heavens and surveyed the hills, valleys, and trees around me, my heart rejoiced in the presence of a Holy God, our Creator.

As I was meditating on that, I remembered once again the days of marriage after we built our home and hand settled into the 'good' years. We worked hard all day running a business and making money to provide for our family. We were busy with our church activities and so intensely happy it seemed our life could not be better.

On well lit nights, we often walked the country lane that ran in front of our house, admiring the heavens and basking the moonlit glow of our own happiness. We walked for miles, talking and laughing, dreaming and often making plans for our future. We walked until we tired, then turned around started the journey back home.

Those were wonderful times. When I think of those walks now, I remember the pure joy of being in Terry's presence and knowing the security of his love for me. I remember the contentment of discussing our church activities and plans. I remember the anticipation of planning upcoming trips together or family vacations or even just family dinners together. Those were precious times and have left me with even more precious memories.

Those moonlight walks ended when Terry was critically injured in an automobile accident in April, 2000. We often sat in our yard at night after that and watched the stars above and the traffic passing by. We laughed at how 'old' we had gotten! Gone were the days of running here and there like hamsters on their little wheels. Our life was much slower, but still so completely perfect.

Right up until the last month of his life, we would walk out onto our front porch on many nights and sit to stare up at the heavens and talk about what lay ahead. He talked about the pain of leaving me behind. He talked to me about the practical things I would need to know once he was gone....how often to change the filter in the A/C unit, where to take the car for oil changes and tire rotations, who to call if I needed a handyman, how to turn the gas on and off for the fireplace...just very practical things like that.

I must say that not one thing has come up since his home going that he did not cover at least once in those night talks. Even though he is now with our Lord, he is still taking care of me! What a wonderful blessing! I pray that I can leave this life with as much grace and dignity as he did!

Wow! It's quite amazing where a drive under a full moon will take you! I hope you have enjoyed reading this minutely as much as I have enjoyed writing it! I continue to be in awe of God's love for me and for the the man He gave to me. I am so thankful that moving forward also means taking the memories with you. So, I move forward with my memories cradled in my heart and look with joyful anticipation of what lies ahead.

I leave you with this verse from Psalms 84:12 "O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you." The joy of the Lord IS my strength and my hope!