I thought I was going to get through Christmas OK, until Elaine brought over a Christmas present that she had found while sorting, that Cynthia had planned for me: 4 new books, a note saying “for Tom – Noel” and the attached blessing. I shed quite a few tears that day . . .

It hit me hard, since it seems like she wrote it as a farewell to me.

I think she found it on the internet, since it’s written on the scratch paper that comes off our printer. I found it yesterday, under “I wish for you . . . comfort . . .”, it’s attributed to both Theodore Roethke and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

But Cynthia changed it to “I hope for you . . . “ as you can see. Then she added the prayer at the bottom, I found that on none of the internet versions. And what struck me was when she wrote “when you go on your way”: the other times she wrote prayers on cards for me, it was always “we” and “our”. It’s as if she knew that I would be going on alone . . . and going through a serious tribulation.

She sent me her hopes from beyond the veil, just like it says in Hebrews 6 . . .

When did she write it? It can’t have been too long after the sickness set in, because her handwriting looks perfectly normal and there are no errors. Was this another of those deep premonitions of her soon departure?

I didn’t want to write an 8-month-gone post and have people cry on Christmas . . . so I’ve waited until now.

Receive Cynthia’s last blessing, it’s for you too. And remember as you ponder the Resurrection in these days, it’s not just a past event, nor a future event, nor a doctrine. It’s a Person, and His Name is Jesus . . . and Cynthia is already there with Him.

Tom

See the attached link below:

Scan0122.pdf