Postmark from Heaven

If you have received a card from me in the past couple months, it probably had a little red firecracker stamped on it.  That's a way we remember Lilly on our cards or envelopes.  (For anyone reading this that is wondering why - Lilly was born on July 4 and was nicknamed "Little Firecracker" because of her will to live.)

If you've gotten a card "from Lilly" recently, I probably drew a "postmark from heaven" on the envelope.  I was never very pleased with how it turned out though.  Lilly has me help her send cards to family members and other special people occasionally.  ;)

I was very happy to find an Etsy dealer that makes custom rubber stamps!  Her shop name is: StampOutOnline and you can find her Etsy shop here.  She has a huge variety of rubber stamps that can be customized.

We went to another funeral today.  That makes 6 (including Lilly's) in a year's time.  I hope H. doesn't start playing funeral again!  (This was for an elderly neighbor.  A man who survived the Baatan Death March and was a POW in WWII for almost 4 years.  He was full of fascinating stories, including about growing up in Louisiana.  He credits T. with helping to save his life a few years ago when he fell.)  The funeral service was held at the same funeral home that Lilly's viewing was at. T. was so excited to go back to that funeral home.  I was silently dreading it and had a hard time not crying all morning.  But, thanks to God, I got through it OK.  It was hard though - sitting there at staring at the urn up front, where Lilly's little coffin had been.  Remembering how I stood right by it, and greeted so many many people that came to the viewing.  And then at the end, I picked her up and held her one last time.  It was so hard to put her down, knowing I never would hold her again.  Before the funeral, we talked to the man that helped us organize Lilly's funeral.  Such a kind man.  And after, the children and I looked at the birds that the funeral home keeps and enjoyed talking with a woman that works there. 

The service was short, but good.  I really needed to be reminded of the scriptures that the reverend read.  Here is one passage that was an encouraging reminder:

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:1-4