A New Beginning

Donna Harvey, a dear friend of the family, passed away at 1:15 a.m. this morning. This was her third bout with cancer. Donna has finally finished the race. The more I thought about her wonderful, rich life — the more I kept thinking of a flower. Donna’s life was a blessing to all those that had the privilege to know her. Donna gave her radiant beauty to everyone, without discretion. Her attitude was perennially upbeat.

My wife Heather and Donna shared perennials with each other. Most photographs of flowers are shown in full bloom. I like this image because it shows a new beginning. As one lily is closing for the night, another is rising up in preparation for a new day.

The name day lily comes from the fact that the blooms only flower for one day, opening at sunrise and withering at sunset. James wrote about the brevity of live in the Bible, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanishes away.” The frailty of man was further stated by Isaiah, and later quoted by Peter, "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever."

The Word of the Lord was implanted in Donna’s heart, it found good soil and it flourished. Donna’s love was especially evident in her love for Scott and her daughters, Rachel and Emily. Above all, the day lily is symbolic of motherhood.

Donna may have exchanged her address, but she will always be with us. Paul stated, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Donna lived live with passion, excellence and purpose. The finish line for Donna is just the beginning of a new walk with God. For God is not the God of the dead, but the living. The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and the God of Donna. Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!