Cooking for Angels

I write this post with a heavy heart.

This past week we unexpectantly lost my dear Aunt Nancy.  I spent the weekend with my cousins and their families celebrating her life.

Lord of all hopefulness

Lord of all joy

Whose trust ever childlike

No fears could destroy

Be there at our waking

And give us, we pray

Your bliss in our hearts, Lord

At the break of the day.

My Aunt Nancy was an amazing woman.   You might be thinking, "everyone says that about the deceased".   My aunt truly was amazing.   No matter the hurdles in her path, she seemed to clear them with grace, a smile and her faith in tack.  She is who taught me the glass is always half full.  She had the most beautiful smile and the most loving and generous heart.  She most often showed her generosity and love through food.  She loved to feed those she cared for and those she felt needed nurturing.

Nancy not only loved to cook, she was a wonderful cook.  The years we lived in Nashville we were always invited to her table, and there was always our favorite foods.  She might be frying chicken, but if someone didn't like chicken and preferred ham, there would be ham on the table as well.   She took great joy in pleasing those she cared for.   There was a story going around she would fry chicken and take it out to construction workers building condos across from her home.  

Lord of all eagerness,
Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled 
 at  the plane and the lathe.
Be there at our labors,
And give us, we pray,
Your Strenght in our hearts, Lord,
At the noon of the day.

I have so many wonderful memories stored in my heart of the times I had with my aunt.  I always looked forward to spending time with her when we would visit Nashville.  She never lost patience with my following behind her or my chattering.  She  knew how to make a trip to the "Wishy Washy" fun.  

We were living in Nashville when my mother passed away, she called her children and they were at my door within thirty minutes.  She did not leave until my clothes were pressed and suitcases packed.  She then met me at the airport the next morning and accompanied me, my family, my mother's sister and niece to Louisiana.   She never left my side.  If she wasn't taking care of me, she was taking care of Heather.

Lord of all kindliness,
Lord of all grace,
Your swift to welcome,
Your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing,
And give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord
At the Eve of the day.

This weekend while reminiscing with my cousins, I found out she loved to go to mountains to see the autumn leaves.  She loved to travel.  She was an adventurer.   I was overjoyed to find we had so much in common.

My cousins selected the most wonderful photographs to share.  One of my favorite pictures was of her on the back of a motorcycle.  Riding a motorcycle was a longtime wish of hers.   Oh you only needed to see the laughter to know she was having the time of her life.

Lord of all gentleness,
Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment,
Whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping,
And give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord
At the end of the day.

I am absolutely confidant Aunt Nancy is cooking for the angels, enjoying the the leaves turning orange, red and yellow, and hopefully, there is a motorcycle just for her.

Over the past several years we didn't talk as much as we should have.
We kept in touch mostly through my dad.
It makes me sad to think of the world without my Aunt Nancy.

As we made it home through storms I spent them time reflecting on the past,
 my remaining family and
vowing to not lose contact.  
Time and relations are too precious.