Today's Scripture Reflection
Peggy Eastman, Poet in Residence
But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit,
if the Spirit of God really dwells in you.
Romans 8:9

At the memorial service in the small country chapel, my cousin John was giving a eulogy for his sister Betsy, who had died of anorexia nervosa. Betsy and I had been very close; I was thinking of her generous spirit and the presents she had given me, like the down quilt with a bright blue cover I slept under in the winter. My sorrow was mixed with guilt; I wanted to say to Betsy, “I failed you.” How could someone in our family have died of starvation?

Betsy, wraith thin, had denied her eating disorder all her life. When she came to my house for family dinners, she took only a glass of water, saying “I already ate.” She would say to my face, “I do not have anorexia.” Doctors had tried to help her, but nothing had worked. Betsy and I were first cousins; why couldn’t I have reached her? I had prayed faithfully that she might be healed of her illness. I had tempted her with delectable meals and spent hours visiting with her. But in her forties, she had succumbed to her illness.

John who was known for his dry wit, was saying, “Betsy declared war on her body a long time ago.” As I looked out a window of the chapel I saw some fluffy white clouds drifting across the sky. Suddenly my sorrow and guilt no longer weighed me down. I smiled as I thought of Betsy as a spirit in heaven, lighter than those little clouds. I would never know how or why the seeds that led to Betsy’s intractable anorexia were planted. But I did know that Betsy had shed the physical body that had been a burden to her all her life. In God’s loving embrace, I was sure she was at peace.

In Christ,
Peggy
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"Let Us Pray"
Written by Peggy Eastman
Lord God, we know that You are doing more for our loved ones in heaven than we could ever do for them on earth. The healing of this earthly life is temporal; the life You offer is eternal. Please help us to understand and accept the fact that we can never be God for those we love best, and please accept our gratitude for caring for them as Your own dearly beloved children. Amen.
"Something More to Chew On"
The King's Singers - Down To The River To Pray
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