Last night after the themed-dinner had wrapped up, I sat on the loveseat for a bit with my feet up, thinking I would sit and argue with Facebook a bit more about the warnings I am receiving. Instead, I found such a lovely message from Rachel, the music director at Victory. She sent me the following video with the message: "I know you and Justin love this hymn":
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There is a slide show which accompanies the hymn, sung by the WELS Honor Choir at the Worship Conference last summer, which my friend, Judy R., was privileged to attend, as was Robbie, The Maestro. While yes, I do very very much love this anthem, it was the slide show which blew me away. At about the 3:52 counter, a picture pops up of our Savior holding a small boy in His arms that closing resembles Timmy. Lisa thought so, too, and presented me with this same picture, cross stitched, with the text from "I'm But A Stranger Here" affixed to the back. Our dear pastor, Pete Prange, sang that hymn at Timmy's graveside service, all the stanzas. Mom wishes we could have had that recorded as well, but....
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Not too long ago I had the cross stitched piece reframed by Dee as well a couple companion pieces, and they are the first things I see when I open my eyes in the morning, besides the sunshine, of course. The text of the hymn is still on the back, preserved there by Dee, as well.
The "Monk" in me is upset to have the left picture a bit crooked, but I did not change it for the photo. The crooked one is appropriately so, because it is the last painting Timmy did, painted on the Saturday evening before he died. Justin and I call it "The Exploding Birthday Cake" but a psychiatrist might have another view of it. He also painted one for Pastor Prange and presented it to him the next morning before Sunday school.
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Lisa brought this to my house in Florida, presenting me first with a gift-wrapped box of tissues and then the framed picture. After the sobbing had subsided, she also told me that if she never sees a strand of blue thread again, it will be too soon! Guess that is a whole lotta blue in this piece. But I cherish the thought and every single stitch....."Jesus, in mercy bring us to that dear land of rest..."
*Yesterday I spent my morning poolside and in the pool with the water aerobics class. Maggie and I were going to have lunch at Koko's but she had a schedule conflict so had to ask for a rain check. Ellen's back was bothering her again so she was staying in as well, which left Kathy B. and me having lunch and visiting Great Hang Ups. We did just that, chatted with Julia, and then took a ride through Eagle Harbor so I could show Kathy where I used to live and build. We headed down 220 and sure enough, there came Justin off the street where the new office building is located. I waved like nuts and he wave nicely as we passed each other, and two seconds later, he called me. "Mom, are you going to have another mammogram?" Just because I was on the THAT street does not mean I was having another mammo done. I explained that Kathy was with me, (he did not see her in the car) and that we were seeing the sights of Eagle Harbor, so nothing to worry about. He proceeded to tell me I had my last one on St. Patrick's Day because he saw me that day also. Usually I will ask him what I was wearing, because he recalls those type of things. Justin has an uncanny ability to remember minutia like this, even so far as remembering the song on the radio at the time. He calls it his "psychosis" but I really think he means neurosis, because he worries about things that do not require concern. Anyway, I was moved to have him get concerned about me possibly having another mammogram, and I know I can depend on him if I ever am in need of special care!
