🖤 neighbors, a funeral, a mercy meal, and good friends 🖤

 

Happy Tuesday, friends. I thought I'd share a story with you today about neighbors, a funeral, a mercy meal, and good friends that are like family. 

We have lived in our home for twenty years, if you can believe that. We love it here and there were so many things that drew us to our neighborhood: wide streets, old oak trees that are prevalent in the neighborhood, the well kept neighborhood. What we didn't expect, though, and what has turned into one of the greatest blessings of our lives, was our neighbors. There are a few of us left here on our street that are in the 20 (years)+ club, and we are all good friends. The neighbor friends we know the best are the Hansens. At one point it would have been the Dicksons, who lived next door to us for several years, but they have long since moved. Those two families were awarded custody of their nephews, who were right around the ages of our boys, and the rest is history. It was friendship at first sight for all of them! 

Not only do we have these friends, but our boys have these friends. Last Monday was the funeral of our bonus son Alex's sister, so we all made plans to attend; Drew and Noah took the day off from work so that we could all be there for not only him, but also our friends (his aunt and uncle) Val and Lou. (Todd, Graham, and Jonah just took the day off in the family business.) I fought tears the entire duration of the funeral, because the love was felt so strongly in the room where her memorial service was held. It was not an easy funeral, and she died a tragic death, but the presence of the Lord was there with us, and He was honored. I wish I could describe how it felt, the tangible presence of love in the flesh, but that is the only way I can think to describe it. You could sense the deep love we have for one another, as our family/friendship bonds go deep. 

Alex has had so much loss in his young life, first his mom and now his sister. I was so moved seeing all of us (plus an extra) squeezed into one pew at the funeral home, and hearing them sniffle beside me as they also fought tears the entire time. I'm still moved today, as I write this! I love that his best friends were there for him, my boys and his friend Gavin. It's a feeling I won't likely forget anytime soon, and I wanted to share it here. It was a sad and beautiful day, and I want to remember it forever. None of us could seem to leave afterward, and then they invited us to their home afterward, for the mercy meal. We all came home to change, and then we walked down to their house together. 

Did you know the after funeral meal is sometimes called a mercy meal? I read that somewhere a couple of weeks ago, and I think that's such a beautiful way to describe what takes place when someone you love passes. It was a meal provided by family and friends for those who were grieving, and I didn't think we would go, but was so glad that they asked us and that we went. I was able to help my friend in the kitchen with the food preparation. The boys all crowded around their dining room table, and Alex's grandma Flo took our picture. I love it so much! 

I'm so glad she took this, because I wanted to ask for a picture, but it didn't feel appropriate. For her to want to take it, though, was another story. I'm so thankful for this picture because it gives a visual memory with what I felt that day in their home and the entire time we were together. This is the one I tried to sneak before Flo took the one above. 

I could bawl again just looking at this picture. I hated to leave, but I got overheated and started feeling sick to my stomach, so I came home, and the others followed after me shortly, including Alex! They were all leaving together, and I'll tell you how the Lord worked through Jonah that day. They were just sitting there at the table when he suggested they all go and test drive vehicles. I think that's hilarious that he offered that as something to do, but Alex's first love has always been cars, so he was up for going. They spent the whole afternoon together, then when they got home, they all ate dinner here, for old time's sake. I was offended when Alex asked for a drink; there was a day when he would have just rummaged through the refrigerator without giving it a second thought. And we wanted it that way! It was so good having them all here under our roof, even after a sad day. 

I was encouraged for Alex; he is going to have some hard times, of course, but he is going to be okay. My boys will help to make sure of that, as will his sweet girlfriend. She was here too that night! I am still going to ask that you keep him in your prayers as the Lord brings him to your mind. He has had such a hard life with all that he has been through, but he and his family are resilient people. They (his family, not necessarily him) are firm and established in their faith, and that is also my prayer for Alex, just as it is for my own boys. One reason I have this little heart tattoo on the inside of my wrist is to remind me to pray for my people; my prayer is always that they would love the Lord their God with all their hearts, with all their souls, with all their minds, and with all their strength, and that they would love others as they love themselves. I have no doubt that God will always answer this prayer that I pray! The reason I know that is because that is in the Bible; anytime you pray something like that from the Bible over your family, that is God's will and He will always answer according to His will. 

Thanks for reading my thoughts today, friends. Love to all. 

(I am linking up with Joanne today for her Talking About it Tuesday link party.)