Of tears and fears

Its been sobering, visiting a cancer-stricken terminally-ill brother in law in Ipoh, attending a funeral wake for one of my kindy children's mom (who passed on after a cancer relapse), hearing via email of Choo Khang's demise, and just last Sat being told that one of those homeless street vagabonds i used to counsel had also passed away.... So much of the stink of death around.
Bottom line, we never know do we, when its gonna strike any one of us. But as the saying goes, in life there are only 2 sure things - death and taxes.

I got to musing how we should be preparing for both diligently, even if we hate it, coz there's no running away from them. My husband used to prepare my tax returns; now for the past 7 yrs, come every march, i gotta dig out all those records and do it myself. I used to hate it; being unfamiliar with all the columns of figures; but it gets easier with each year's practise.

I have also prepared for my death; from my will to the songs i want sung at my wake, down to my last words to the kids. They already know wat i dont want - long faces, sad tunes, mournful eulogies. I want a party to celebrate the life i lived on earth before death and the life eternal i will be living after death in heaven with my God. Becoz i know for sure the second i breathe my last on this earth, i will be in the loving arms of Jesus, my Savior in my permanent home, right in heaven. What blessed assurance this knowledge gives me!

I remember how fearful i was about losing my husband to death before knowing Jesus; not just for him but for myself, wondering where's our final destination when death strikes ?? I feared because i didn't 'know' death. That's human nature; we all fear things we don't know.
And I remember the tears i shed at his wake. Yes, there were tears but by then, 2 years of experiencing the power of God's love, grace and mercy in my life, there was no more fear; becoz my husband knew the same Jesus i knew, i was sure of where he had gone, sure that we would be meeting again when death comes to me. Whats there to fear when my God has conquered death forever?! Death couldn't hold my Jesus; it can't hold me; for indeed anyone, everyone who calls on His name shall not perish but have eternal life. That's God's guarantee sealed by the blood of Jesus which flowed from the cross of Calvary. In the certainty of death, is the certainty of life everlasting - what an amazing promise... only an amazing God can give, and prove by the One who loved us so much He died for all, that all should live.

Yes, there will always be tears when earthly life comes to an end, but there need not be fears that death or hell (wat other alternatives are there?!) is the end; thank God, Jesus holds out the key to a new beginning, a new life where there is no more pain, sorrow or tears. I tell my kids the only tears i want shed at my funeral to be tears of joy - becoz then i would finally be home with my God, my Lord to live a fantastic life some more - Now that's a hope to live and die for!