We celebrated a life well lived yesterday. My sister-in-law, Jane, won her battle and is now cancer free and is catching up with Jennifer and Wes. I imagine God has his hands full with the 3 of them now, and I wonder if they will ever get out of “time out”.
Jane had a sense of humor, sometimes even a bit sarcastic, but laughter and love were always guaranteed in her presence. One had no choice but to have a good time around her. She wanted everyone to be adventurous and enjoy the moment. Skydiving, hot air balloon ride, parasailing, climbing the Mayan ruins…she did them all but there were so many adventures yet to experience. Her bucket list was very long and she tried to get as many things as possible checked off that list. She loved life and embraced every adventure with anticipation, excitement and wonder, much like a child on Christmas Eve.
She loved animals, snakes and critters of all kinds but she loved people even more. She loved you no matter what. Bumps, bruises, wrinkles…it didn’t matter to her. Lifestyle, beliefs, age, economic status, social status…none of this was important to her. She was genuinely interested in everyone whose path she crossed. She always looked for the good in people and when realized, she would nurture that, often in a quiet, unassuming manner. She could lift you up when you were down and she could make you feel like you were the most important person with just a comment or a smile.With Jane, what you saw was what you got. There was no pretense with her.
Jane had a servant’s heart and her faith was unshakeable. When she received that grim diagnosis last May there was no pity party for her. She knew that there was a plan already in place for her and had been since the day of her birth. She never got angry about her diagnosis because she knew that God would be with her every step of the way. She accepted her diagnosis with grace and vowed to make the most of the time that she had left. She opted to try chemotherapy even though she knew the side effects would be brutal. She wanted to be here for her daughters, her granddaughters and her beloved husband of 54 years, Boyd. She wanted to make more memories with them. She wanted one more Christmas with them. She wasn’t afraid to die because she knew where she was going but she worried about those who would be left behind. In typical Jane fashion, her focus was never on her but was on the ones she loved the most.
Always the protector, she worried about her family who had become her caregivers. She was concerned that they would soon be overcome with exhaustion because her weakness prevented her from participating in her own care. They had to do it all. She thought that a week of respite care in the hospice house would be beneficial to everyone. She wanted them to be able to get some much needed rest and she needed to be able to rest without worrying about being a burden to her caregivers.
I believe that Jane knew her days on earth were coming to an end. I believe that she wanted to protect her family. I believe that she didn’t want all of the wonderful memories that were made at their house to be overshadowed by her last breath being taken in the house that she and Boyd had made into a home. So, in typical Jane fashion, she chose respite care, not for her sake but for the sake of her beloved family. She was to be at the hospice house for 5 days and then return home. She was at the hospice house for 5 days as was the plan but she didn’t return to the home that she and Boyd had built. On the 5th day, God called her to her heavenly home. He knew she was tired. He knew that her work on earth was done. She had indeed fought the good fight and she had won the race. She was suffering no more.
Going forward into life’s uncharted waters without Jane will be difficult not only for her family but also for those who loved her. Her smile, her laugh, her zest for life and her unwavering faith are just a few things that defined Jane. I am sure that many lives have been enriched because of the kindness and compassion that she so easily shared. Her love for others will never be forgotten and I believe that she was a perfect example of the words expressed in the hymn, “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love”.
She lived the words found in Philippians 4:6-9…”Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God…Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Until we meet again, Jane, you will live on in our hearts and in our memories. We love you and thank God for you and the life you lived so well. ❤️