I got a phone call last Friday night. It was my dad calling to tell me that my cousin Shelley had died in a car accident just shortly before he called. It came as quite a shock.
Shelley was one of the friendliest people you could ever meet. She ALWAYS, and I mean always, had a smile on her face. And it was such a sweet, warm, welcoming smile. She always seemed genuinely happy, and she was always very friendly and outgoing. No matter what was going on in her life, you could count on her to be smiling and friendly. She always made you feel at ease.
Shelley's mother shared with us that just two weeks before her death, Shelley had told her that she knew she had the Holy Spirit in her heart, and that although she was not "perfect," she knew she was "right" with the Lord. Hallelujah! Isn't that wonderful! To know that she is in heaven, and even though we mourn her passing from this earth, we know that she is rejoicing with the angels, and meeting our blessed Savior! (for the Bible says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord!) So I know I will see her again when I get to heaven.
It has taken a while for this all to sink in, and I know I will miss her the most when we have family get-togethers and she is not around. I know her parents and siblings miss her terribly. I cannot imagine the pain they are going through.
The funeral was nice, I thought. The minister did a really nice job with the sermon, and kept pointing us back to the Lord as our rock, our Savior, and our refuge. He sang "Consider the Lilies," and "Sheltered in the Arms of God." Both were very appropriate songs, in my opinion, and very healing to the spirit. I especially love "Sheltered in the Arms of God," although both songs were of great comfort to me. A couple of other songs were played, although the only one I can remember is "I Will Remember You."
Shelley leaves behind two beautiful young boys, both of her parents, and one brother and one sister. She is dearly loved by all. In heaven, she will join her grandpa, and two cousins (both of whom died as infants).