Death is the last shadow before heaven’s dawn.

死亡是迎接天堂荣光的最后一片阴影。

Precious in the sight of the  is the death of his faithful servants. Psalm 116:15

在耶和华眼中，看圣民之死极为宝贵。-诗篇116篇15节 

My mother, so dignified and proper her entire life, now lay in a hospice bed, held captive by debilitating age. Struggling for breath, her declining condition contradicted the gorgeous spring day that danced invitingly on the other side of the windowpane.

我的母亲一生高雅端庄，如今却年老体弱，躺卧在安宁病床上。她连呼吸都十分费力，她已是风烛残年、时日无多，与窗外欣欣向荣的明媚春光，形成强烈的对比。

All the emotional preparation in the world cannot sufficiently brace us for the stark reality of goodbye. Death is such an indignity! I thought.

我心想，死亡真是令人失去尊严！无论如何预备好自己的情绪，我们都不忍心看到亲人身体的衰败，也很难坦然面对生离死别的事实。

I diverted my gaze to the birdfeeder outside the window. A grosbeak flitted close to help itself to some seed. Instantly a familiar phrase popped into my mind: “Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it” (Matt. 10:29 ). Jesus had said that to His disciples as He gave them marching orders for a mission to Judea, but the principle applies to all of us. “You are worth more than many sparrows,” He told them (v. 31).

我把目光转向窗外的喂鸟器。一只松雀轻快地飞近，吃了一些种子。此时，一句熟悉的经文立刻跃上心头：“若是你们的父不许，一个[麻雀]也不能掉在地上”（马太福音10章29节）。虽然这是耶稣差遣门徒前往犹大地时，对他们所说的话，但这教导同样适用于我们每一个人。而且，耶稣还对他们说：“你们比许多麻雀还贵重。”（31节）

My mom stirred and opened her eyes. Reaching back to her childhood, she used a Dutch term of endearment for her own mother and declared, “Muti’s dead!”

我母亲动了动，微微睁开双眼，她的记忆回到童年时期，以荷兰语亲昵地称呼她的母亲，然后说：“妈咪死了！”

“Yes,” my wife agreed. “She’s with Jesus now.” Uncertain, Mom continued. “And Joyce and Jim?” she questioned of her sister and brother. “Yes, they’re with Jesus too,” said my wife. “But we’ll be with them soon!” 

我妻子回答她：“是的，外祖母现在正跟耶稣在一起。”母亲继续以不确定的口吻，问起她已故的姐姐和哥哥：“那乔依丝跟吉姆呢？”我妻子温柔地说：“是的，他们也跟耶稣在一起，而且我们也很快就要与他们在一起了！”

“It’s hard to wait,” Mom said quietly. 

母亲轻声地说：“我真向往那一天！”

Heavenly Father, this life can be so hard and painful. But You! . . . You are right there with us, loving us, keeping us, holding us! And You promise never to leave us or forsake us.

 亲爱的天父，今生是如此艰辛苦楚。但祢却与我们同在，

关爱、保守、扶持我们！并且祢已应许永不离弃我们。

Matthew 10:28-33New International Version (NIV)

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

整理：于姊妹