I finally made it home and wanted to thank all of you who have offered prayers and words of encouragement over the past week. It has truly been a blessing. I am always amazed at how much can be said with so few words. Brief words of encouragement can oftentimes be the most meaningful and helpful at the right moment. The same is true for the poem that was read at the memorial service last Friday. It was only a few sentences long but touched me in profound ways. I hope you too find it to be a blessing the way I did:

"God looked around His garden and
He found an empty place.
He then looked down upon this earth,
And saw your tired face.

He put His arms around you,
And lifted you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful,
He always takes the best.

He knew that you were suffering,
He knew you were in pain.
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
So He closed your weary eyelids,
And whispered, ‘Peace be thine.’

He took you up to Heaven,
With hands gentle and so kind.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you did not go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home."