Mrs. Taylor

Betty Sloan died at six this morning at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, California. Nancy and I were with her until 11 last night. I told her that she would be shortly leaving her worn out 88 year old body and enter the presence of God Most High. I asked her to say hello to Valerie and to tell her that we will see her soon.

In the world's eyes, Betty's departure was a struggle of breathing tubes, morphine drips and last gasps of air. We stand over a dying soul and secretly are grateful that it's not us. But to the eyes of God Most High, "precious to the Lord is the death of the saints" and "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."

I considered it a high privilege to spend time with Betty last night. To hold her hand and touch her forehead. To speak to her about eternity. Nancy told her that God has a place already reserved for her in heaven's choir. My mind went back to the time not so many months ago when I held the hand of my beloved Valerie. In a way, I almost envied Betty knowing that she would see Valerie in a few hours.

The picture above shows Betty in the middle with just a few of her many family members.

Elizabeth Croy Taylor Sloan was born to Mabel and Howard Croy of Hudson, Ohio on July 7th, 1919. She came into my life as a young child when she worked for my dad as a housekeeper. But she was much more than that. Eventually my dad and Betty got married but I couldn't break the habit of calling her Mrs. Taylor.

After my dad died in Ohio, Betty moved to our hometown of Escondido, California. For almost 20 years, we enjoyed her company a s member of our family. We have many fond memories of her showing up at our house in "The Betty Cruiser".

Betty's memorial service is next Saturday at The Community Reformed Church on Felicita in Escondido, California. 10 AM.

Godspeed dear one.

Come On People!

Tyler, the youngest member of the McCrea San Marcos Terrorist Cell, spent a long weekend with grandma and grandpa while Chris, Gavin, and Ryan went out to the Colorado River to enjoy the 120F temperature.

We were lagging on our departure for a Home Depot run so Tyler walks up to us and says, "come on people!" What a rock star!

We spent a hot weekend in Escondido. In the pool, hitting Costco for a Polish dog, flying kites and RC airplanes, chasing Maggie, driving RC cars, watching Charlotte's web, reading books, and feeding Sam. The usual.

Last night we celebrated Chris' 38th birthday. Unmitigated chaos developed when grandpa crash landed his big Clancy RC plane, shown above, on the neighbor's highest roof. After trotting out several ladders, some cowboy was able to lassoo it and pull it off with minimum damage.

Chris and the boys are leaving for a three week motorhome trip to Colorado today. I think they are celebrating Ryan's birthday at Char's house in Morrison. I am sure that this trip will take on a life of it's own, not unlike the recent Robin Williams movie, "RV".

A few times last weekend, Tyler would get very weepy and tell us he missed his dad. As Nancy and I consoled him, I was torn apart by his ability to "suck it in". He would put a little smile on his face but you could easily see beyond it to his pain.

I would like to be able to tell you that things are getting easier three months after losing Val. I would like to, but I can't. At night, I have dreams about her being with us and then wake up disappointed in the morning. I am fortunate in that going to work lets me plug into another world of activites. Not so with Nancy. She lost her best friend. Val would take care of her. We miss her voice when she would call and simply say, "what are you doin?"

Julie told me that she no longer thinks about Val in her diseased body that finally failed her. Instead, she thinks about her as she is today. In heaven. perfect. In the presence of Jesus and all the saints who have lived since the beginning.

God is not unaware of our pain. He knows that it is caused by our great love for Val. Although I do not at this time have a sense of His presence, I will wait for Him.

God's word is filled with commands for the saints to wait.

Psalm 5:3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait. Psalm 40:1 I waited for the Lord on High. I waited and He heard my cry. Isaiah 64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Habakkuk 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

Just what, you ask, am I waiting for?

Not eternal life. I have that already. It is not something that starts when I leave this world stage. It is now.

In Daniel's vision of the end, he asked a man clothed in linen and suspended above the waters of a river, "My Lord, what will the outcome of all this be?" He replied, "go your way Daniel because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end......Go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your alotted inheritance."

Like Daniel. Like Valerie. God's command to me is to go my way until the end.

I am waiting for the end. I will live each day with joy, knowing that it is a gift from God's hand. I will die. I will rest. and then at the end of the days i will rise to receive my inheritance.