Our Favorite Aunt Joan

It's a family joke because she is our only Aunt Joan. In fact, she is my great-aunt, married to my grandpa's uncle. I have known her all my life and have felt a special connection to her. She is 60 years and 1 day older than me. She was the the first devoted follower of Christ in our family that I knew of. In that sense, she served as a role model for me in the faith. She exudes joy, and I always knew that joy she had came from her faith in Christ. She was the only person I knew like that, and to be honest, I thought she was kind of weird for it. After I became a Christian in college, I would turn to her family for support and advice. I knew if they supported my decisions to spend a summer in ministry training, to go on a mission trip to Japan, or to leave home and family to go to seminary, then I would be able to withstand any criticism I might receive from other family members. She came to my baptism. She prayed for me and for my future husband whoever he may be. Faithful, loving, amazing, youthful. I could continue to describe her, but I do not think I will ever fully see her impact on my life this side of eternity. I only know she was special to me and my family. Even the nonChristians in the family adore her--that's saying something.

Aunt Joan died yesterday evening. Around Thanksgiving, my mom emailed to say that they had to put her in a nursing home. It seemed she had had a mini stroke, and her mind had been failing for years. The last time I saw her, which was 3 or 4 years ago, she did not remember who I was. That was okay. I was determined to visit her while I was in Indiana for Christmas. When I got to her room, it took me a few minutes to recognize her. This was not the Aunt Joan I remembered. She had gained weight, looked older than I had ever seen her, and had a hard time maintaining consciousness. I was there for about an hour and a half. Periodically she would wake up saying, "Help me! Help me! Help me!" but could not tell me or did not know what she needed. She had sharp back pains, so I massaged her back. Her right slipper had gotten mixed up in the laundry, so until it came back I cupped my hands around her foot to keep it warm. I didn't know what to do while she was sleeping, so I sang along with a Christmas CD she had playing and read to her from the Gospels. A couple of times she would just look at me and say, " I love you. I love you, honey." At one point I thought it was a good time for me to leave, but she heard me get me coat and begged me not to go. She said she was afraid. When I asked her of what, she said, "I don't know." Throughout the visit I prayed. I prayed God would give her peace and comfort. I prayed for her family. And I prayed God would take her home. I asked for His mercy to do so, that He would bring home one of His most faithful servants, that she would be reunited with her husband, that her hopes and dreams of praising Jesus in front of His throne would be realized. I treasured every minute of that visit.

It is done. I have no doubt Aunt Joan is in heaven and loving every minute of being with Jesus. I will miss her, but in some sense she has been gone for a long time. I am not mourning because I am glad she is no longer suffering. I look forward to the day when I will see her again. I love you Aunt Joan! You may have passed on to your eternal reward, but you will always be present in my heart. May a part of your legacy be lived through me as I live to glorify and honor our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. ~ Hebrews 12:1-2a

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