Many of you who read my
blog know how I collect dimes (“Dimes and Hearts”), and I have come to identify
dimes, especially those I unexpectedly find lying on the ground or pavement or
wherever to be my reminder of God’s Presence.
Well, my friends, I have another “Dime” story to shareJ
It has
been a custom in my family to commemorate our departed loved ones by placing
flowers on their gravesites over the Memorial Day weekend. As long as I can remember, Memorial Day was a
very important holiday for my family.
Perhaps it was because my dad’s parents had died in their 40s, and my
mom’s dad had passed away in his 50s that made remembering them on Memorial Day
a special occasion. Or maybe it was
because my Grandmother Phares (my mom’s family) along with my aunts and uncles
planned family reunions on that day. Of
course, the reasons don’t matter how or why the custom began. It did, so now as
long as I am able, I want to continue it. So…
On
Memorial Day 2017 my husband and I drove to my hometown of WaKeeney where we
met my Cousin Julie. This was the first
time that her mom, my Aunt Margaret (Phares) Dietz (“Wise Words”) would be among our relatives
to honor. After lunch we drove to the
county cemetery and began distributing our flower arrangements. Our first stop was at the Dietz family
gravesites (my dad’s family). My Grandpa
Dietz had foresight to purchase several plots in one area. As a result, all
five Dietz brothers with their wives lay near to their parents. Having them all
in close vicinity to each other made it convenient in placing the flowers. When we had finished decorating the graves,
we stood with respect and admiration as we shared a few special family memories
before heading to our second stop.
The
graves of my mom’s family were next on our list. My mom’s family also claimed WaKeeney as its
hometown. Even though six of my mom’s
siblings had relocated through the years, one of her brothers and one of her
sisters had bought plots beside their parents. Consequently, we placed more
flowers upon their gravesites and once again reminisced.
Ready to
proceed to our final destination, we climbed into the car and drove next door
to the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery. Several years ago WaKeeney was chosen to be
the site of this special cemetery. Since its completion, it had become the
final resting place for veterans of all military branches. Included among these
servicemen and women were two friends of my family that I wanted to remember
with flowers. Once we left the car, we couldn’t help but be in awe of the rows
of identical, white tombstones representing our fallen military men and
women. It was quite a solemn sight.
We found the first friend’s gravesite rather
quickly, but it took some searching before we found the other one. When I discovered it, I knelt to place the
bouquet of flowers AND what should be staring up at me in the short-cut grass
but a bright, heads-up, shiny DIME!! I
couldn’t believe it. I looked at Julie
and she saw it too. My heart pounded
because I knew God had dropped it there for us. And His timing was PERFECT
because this was our last flower placement. He was reassuring us of His Presence! This
Memorial Day held mixed emotions for Julie as well as for me because of this
being her mom’s, my Aunt Margaret’s, first year in the cemetery. And the first time of placing flowers on a
loved one’s gravesite is the hardest. But God, our Father, showed His love and
tenderness by reminding us that everything will be okay. He is and always will
be with us no matter what life experiences we are facing. He is our constant
care provider. I picked up the dime and
placed it in my pocket. A sense of peace came over me and I silently thanked
Him for His surprise in the grass.
When we
left the Veterans' Cemetery, we drove down WaKeeney’s memory lane. For Julie, this had become a closure for
her. In years past, Memorial Day had
always been a big annual event for our family.
Now, our older generation is gone and WaKeeney is no longer our meeting
place. However, no matter where our lives may take us, we have some of the best
memories as a family in that small, rural town. And someday our family will be
together again in a larger, eternal home!!
”The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1
