Kelly's Death--Her Day of Joy!

Jonathan told me the news this morning as I came out to the livingroom--Kelly, an acquaintance from church, had died last night, leaving behind a grieving husband, Bill.

 

Jonathan and I just held each other, our hearts thinking of Bill and wondering when it will be our turn...

 

But something I remembered about Kelly was how when she had found out about her cancer coming back at already stage 4, she didn't start moping around. She had a "Day of Joy" for the ladies of the church!

 That was really new to me. I had never experienced anybody celebrating a day of joy after hearing really "bad" news and knowing you might die very soon. 

 

Apparently it was not totally bad news to Kelly. She had a hope that most people don't have!

Her "Day of Joy" was a witness in itself. Kelly decided not to mope and weep, but rejoice and share joy with other ladies. All I can say is Wow!

So Kelly invited all the ladies in the whole church to come have a day of fun hair fixings and manicures!

Now with me being from a very conservative background of modesty and simplicity, I didn't figure I'd be the best person to attend the fun day of hairdo's and manicures, although I wouldn't have minded if one of the ladies could have introduced me to a new updo for my long hair! If I hadn't been busy or possibly away, I really did think of going just to get together for that "day of joy" since Kelly wasn't going to be here to have days of joy 

very much longer. 

 My background, training, and understanding of Scripture is different, but I felt like Kelly was an incredible witness of her faith in Christ by simply being joyful and loving others and opening her home to other ladies even when her life was unraveling and falling apart. 

Instead of hiding away in sorrow and bitterness, she opened her home to her friends. 

I have unpainted fingernails and a simple hair up-do, but Kelly's joy in the middle of her fun "Day of Joy" is a huge witness to me.

My Reformed Presbyterian friend has taught a conservative Wesleyan Methodist lady a beautiful lesson in joy.

 Today is her real Day of Joy!

I pray that I may also keep trusting only in Christ, not in any works of which to boast, not in my unpainted fingernails and lack of jewelry, 

not in any simplicity, modesty, economy, or good works,

 or even in my obedience to the Bible or in points of doctrine that I may think are so right,

but only in the finished work of Christ, Who shed His blood so that death would lose its sting!