When God Has Something Else in Mind

ACFWAuthors and writing, Encouragement, Friends of ACFW, writing 4 Comments

God has blessed me with a large, close family. Between my mom and dad’s brothers and sisters, I have a total of seventeen aunts and uncles. And that’s not including their husbands and wives. The number of cousins I have, that include second cousins who are actually my age, would take a while to count. If I see one of my cousins when out with my kids and introduce them, my kids always say, “Mama, everyone is your cousin.” And I just love my family too pieces. Each and every single one of them.

The week of Thanksgiving, my Uncle Dwight Baines, had a seizure at work, and from there was admitted into the hospital. A cat scan revealed two tumors on his brain and he would have to have surgery.

My mom and I visited with him a couple of hours before surgery, and then spent the day with his daughters who are the same ages of two of my children. Eighteen and twenty-six.

Though the surgery was successful, the surgeon was unable to remove one of the tumors because of the location, and treatment would follow once they verified it was cancer.

A couple of weeks later, it was verified.

We visited him in the hospital, the following Sunday afternoon, and he seemed in good spirits and wasn’t in any pain.

With Christmas approaching and the busyness of the season, I hadn’t been back to the hospital for another visit. My plan was to take him a copy of my new book that released only weeks ago. He was so proud when my first book was published. Though I’m certain, my genre, inspirational romance, isn’t something he would pick to read ordinarily, I knew he would love a copy, and I wanted him to have one.

So, I planned to take him a signed copy Sunday a week ago. But on Saturday night, he went into a coma. And on Monday night, he took his last breath.

Because his daughters are so young, my mom and her sisters were there to support them during the time of decision making. While at the church meeting with the pastor about the service, my mom saw a few books on a file cabinet and exclaimed to the office ladies and pastor that I was a writer and had three books out.

I was embarrassed but really appreciated the free advertisement. When I told them I wrote Christian Fiction, the ladies and the pastor seemed impressed. The pastor said, “What a ministry!”

As we were meeting and talking about the service, the pastor brought up the idea of having a poem read. Then he decided, I would be able to write something and was adamant that I could.

I’m thinking to myself, no, I can’t do that and told the girls I would be glad to help them find something though.

God had something else in mind. Writing poems is actually the way I started writing, but I am by no means an expert. But, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to at least try. My first thoughts were to write something of how they would remember him, of how they would always love him. But as I began writing, I changed my direction. My heart had been aching over the last few weeks for these girls losing their daddy at such a young age. I wanted this poem to be something that would comfort his girls. And this is what I wrote…

My spirit has abandoned my body, but I have not abandoned you,

for I’ll be ingrained in your heart, and God will see you through.

Think of me when a cool breeze sweeps over your face,

And when the warmth of the sun wraps you in its gentle embrace.

When the raindrops fall on a spring afternoon,

And when the flowers are watered by the morning dew.

Remember all the good times, all the laughter, the songs,

Each precious moment, no matter how short, no matter how long.

The blessing of each precious memory will never fade,

Allow them to give you strength to go on, day after day.

Remember me with smiles, don’t remember me with tears,

When you think of me, know that I am always near.

There were no sad good-byes, no farewell words were spoken,

We’ll see each other on a glorious day when we are no longer broken.

Today, we celebrated his life in a memorial service and I’m so thankful I was given the opportunity to share a small token of my love with my family as the pastor read this poem. And thank you for letting me share this with you, in memory of my Uncle Dwight.

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Cindy Patterson believes in life changing fiction and happily ever afters that start with Jesus. Her passions include Jesus, her husband, and her family. She’s an ordinary girl wanting to do extraordinary things for Christ. Her favorite pastimes are watching her son play baseball and watching her daughter dance. Cindy reads a lot, drinks too much coffee, and wishes she had more time to write. Author of Chasing Paradise and Broken Butterfly, she loves to connect with her readers at www.cindypattersonbks.com and on twitter @cpattersonbks.

Comments 4

  1. Cindym the poem is just lovely, and yeah, you’re an expert. It’s a beautiful, skilled tribute.

    Here’s a haiku, just for you. I hope you like it.

    As the soft-skinned peach grows from iron freeze,
    so our winters
    shape our bloom.

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