New Life

When my mother died in 1984, my husband and my daughters and I had just moved to Norway a month earlier.  It was a very emotional time.  My mom had been my best friend, and for years had lived just blocks from my family and spent a great deal of time with my children.She was cremated and the memorial service was arranged to take place a couple of weeks following her death in order to give us and a couple hundred others time to arrange their schedules in order to attend.  She was well-loved and well-known, having written a book about the miraculous healing she had received 14 years earlier.  She led services of healing and lectured world-wide on the topic.  She also answered hundreds of letters personally.Following the memorial service was a reception.  We greeted many people and were warmed by the words of comfort of the fellow mourners.  At one point a well-intentioned woman asked me if it was difficult for my children to accept that their grandmother was cremated.  My daughter, Anneke, was standing next to me and answered the woman very quickly, "She didn't need that old body.  God gave her a better one in heaven!"  Blessed assurance from a child!My family has embraced the butterfly as a symbol of the resurrection.  Anneke was 9 years old at the time and drew the butterflies that were used on the cover of my mother's memorial service folder. (And my younger daughter, Karianne, at the age of 18, drew a butterfly that was used on the cover of my father's memorial service folder.)So when you see a butterfly, remember that when you die you will emerge from the cocoon of death into a a new life, with a new and glorified body because Jesus suffered, died and rose again  from the dead ...for you and for me!This the message of Easter.  I know that my Redeemer lives!  Hallelujah!