A monumental day

Today (September 2009) was a "monumental" day for me. (See, I am getting my sense of humour back. And Karen would be proud of me for my play on words. We always tried to out-do each other in that respect.) Today the monument co. called and said they had it ready and would I like to be there while they placed it? So even though I had a ton of stuff to do I went out on the prairie to the Butte cemetery to watch it being set. I hope you guys approve of it as I put a lot of thought and prayer into it. As it turned out, the monument co. had this stone in stock and since blue and grey are our colours, I just knew that it would fit us perfectly. And I wanted to honour our grandchildren as well with the names by which we so dearly love to be called. Even though it kind of "creeps me out" to see my name on it, I guess it just makes me look more forward to the day I see her again in glory. But more importantly, I look forward to the day that I can sit with her at the feet of our sovereign God and worship Him forever. So why Hebrews 4:9? "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." First of all it is the scripture verse engraved on the headstone of my great-grandfather, Lorentz Petersen. He was the first person to be buried in the Bethel Cemetery by Powers Lake, ND in 1904. Secondly: I use, as my daily devotion, Charles H. Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening". I feel that his commentary on that verse (January 18th, AM) not only fits the believer of God in his eternal hope but is SO appropriate for the way Karen lived her life and the example that she set for ALL that came in contact with her. This commentary gives me so much assurance that Karen is now resting in her labours and those labours are now perfect. I thank God for this assurance and I look to the day that I too will take part in God's perfection. Here is Spurgeon's commentary:... "How different will be the state of the believer in heaven from what it is here! Here he is born to toil and suffer weariness, but in the land of the immortal, fatigue is never known. Anxious to serve his Master, he finds his strength unequal to his zeal: his constant cry is, "Help me to serve Thee, O my God." If he be thoroughly active, he will have much labour; not too much for his will, but more than enough for his power, so that he will cry out, "I am not wearied of the labour, but I am wearied in it." Ah! Christian, the hot day of weariness lasts not for ever; the sun is nearing the horizon; it shall rise again with a brighter day than thou hast ever seen upon a land where they serve God day and night, and yet rest from their labours. Here, rest is but partial, there, it is perfect. Here, the Christian is always unsettled; he feels that he has not yet attained. There, all are at rest; they have attained the summit of the mountain; they have ascended to the bosom of their God. Higher they cannot go. Ah, toil-worn labourer, only think when thou shalt rest for ever! Canst thou conceive it? It is a rest eternal; a rest that "remaineth." Here, my best joys bear "mortal" on their brow; my fair flowers fade; my dainty cups are drained to dregs; my sweetest birds fall before Death's arrows; my most pleasant days are shadowed into nights; and the flood-tides of my bliss subside into ebbs of sorrow; but there, everything is immortal; the harp abides unrusted, the crown unwithered, the eye undimmed, the voice unfaltering, the heart unwavering, and the immortal being is wholly absorbed in infinite delight. Happy day! happy! when mortality shall be swallowed up of life, and the Eternal Sabbath shall begin." I have since place a 'shepard's hook' next to our head stone from which I can hang a boquet of flowers. I vist her grave often and feel so blessed that the Butte Cemetary is within walking distance of our house.