On the Other Side

It's a cool overcast morning at the Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, Ca.. We are up in the area for a week of camping at Leo Carillo State Beach near Malibu. But this morning I thought I would take a solo trip to Peggy's grave and write a blog entry here. It's a nice setting here with the mature trees, neatly groomed grass and a view of the mountains at a distance. You can hear the cars from the 101 Freeway at a distance and hear a train on a nearby rail corridor.

The train caused me to think of the three weeks in the summer Jeff, Peggy and I use to spend at my Grandparents farm outside of Modesto, CA when we were young. It was a kid haven. We'd follow Grandpa everywhere, while he did his chores. We get fresh eggs from the hens for Grandma; we'd rake up hay in the barn; we go up in the feed loft to make sure there are no jams in the feed system for the thousands of chickens he raised for Foster Farms. I would remember being tucked in bed by Grandma and you could hear a train going by at a distance. Those are great memories for Jeff, Peggy and I.

Peggy's headstone has Philippians 1:21 on it. "If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more." It's a great verse to put on a headstone, even more on Peggy's! She lived for Christ since she privately accepted the Lord as her personal savior when she was 16 years old. She had peaks and valleys during her 29 year walk with the Lord here on Earth. She was heavily involved in Campus Life ministries in Ventura County not too far from here. She had a passion for reaching teens for Christ in the Colonia area of Oxnard. She left for London, England for over a year to grow as an individual and as a Christian. When she came back, she continued to serve in Campus Life. Then she stared a job at Gospel Light Publications. This is where she met her husband to be, Larry Wolf. She went on to be a devoted wife and mother of three great kids. She followed the Lord with diligent daily devotions. Larry and Peggy helped found New Life Community Church in Oxnard, while continuing to minister to the people of Oxnard. She worked with the Lord to "seed" His ways into the hearts of her three kids, Lexie, Trinity and Josh. A gift she gave to her kids that will last the rest of their lives.

All the way to the point of her passing, she "Lived for Christ" as the verse says. Hours before her death she conversed with God out loud. The medication available was to comfort her physically. But she sought much of her physical and spiritual comfort elsewhere. She wanted just scripture read aloud in the room. It really soothed her. She wanted to be coherent, not sedated at the end. She wanted it this way so there could be one more person who could see Christ through her life.

But now I sit here at her grave side. She's gone. But as I told my wife, Lori, this morning, "It feels like Peggy is still here with us. It feels like I just cannot get a hold of her. We keep missing each others calls." But............... I know she is gone. The next time I will see her.... the next time I will talk to her.....it will be "on the other side". The second part of this verse can give us so much comfort, so much excitement to what to look for. "If I die, I will gain even more."!!! Peggy has gained even more. Peggy isn't here, she is with the Lord. It says there are no tears in heaven. I think how can that be....Peggy is away from her family and kid????. But the only thing I can think of, is what I heard Peggy say to Larry in the ER the Monday before she passed away, "I know it will be a blink of an eye before I see you and the kids again." Peggy has gained by her passing and we should be encouraged by that. This place here at the memorial park is a nice place to reflect and memorialize her life. It is a place for us left behind. But Peggy is not here, she is amongst blessing beyond imagination! This is all because she placed her life in the capable hands of Jesus 29 years ago.

"Dear Lord, It's an encouragement to me to press on and live for Christ. Let the Holy Spirit cleanse me daily, while I walk in this fallen world. Let the abounding blessings of living for Christ be overflowing to those around me. Amen."