Friday Fun: The Extra Gift

 

I’ve introduced you to my friend Amber, who is one of two people in my life I’ve known as a friend since story hour. It’s a rich gift to have friends who go back that far. Amber and I have kept up our friendship even though I’ve moved away (and away again and away again). We went on our first ever grown-up vacation together – to Hershey – back in our 20s. Almost a decade ago, I did a blog series called “Walk a Mile in My Shoes,” and she was one of my featured interviews, because she has an unusual occupation: she engraves monuments. (Aka tombstones.) She’s fantastic at her craft.

                Amber’s art is featured all over our home. Paintings and drawings and other creative art pieces. She is my favorite artist, and now I have two more pieces of art for my home.

                She texted me a day or so after Dad died to ask me if he had any favorite sayings or verses – or if there was a verse that was meaningful to me in this season of life.

                I joked that his favorite saying to me (at least when I was growing up) was “simmer down.” Goodness, I heard that one a lot. But I told her that the verse that had been dearest to me in this final season of Dad’s life was Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

                This was the verse I used to open his funeral service, and I clung to every word of it, not just that day, but in all the days around it.

                A week ago today, as Ryan and I stood in the church where Dad’s visitation was held, Ryan pointed to the door and waved. There stood Amber. She’s always supported us so well, in each death we have faced. (This goes all the way back to when I was a fifth grader, and my nephew died. Amber’s mom pulled her out of school to come support me at his visitation. I remember sobbing when I saw her because I was so happy to see a friend and so worried for her that she was missing school on my account!)

                I walked up to her and she gave me a hug and said, “I just wanted to see you. And I brought you a gift. He has it.” She pointed to the funeral director, who was busy setting up a small slab of black granite. Sweet Amber had etched my Psalm 46 verse so I could keep it forever. (Cue the tears!) This now lives in my home office and is easily a prized possession already.

                But before I even saw that gift up close, Amber reached into her pocked and pulled out a tiny piece of granite. She smiled and slipped it into my hands. “This isn’t the gift. This is just extra. Just for fun.”

                I looked down:

                Simmer down.

                This is everything. The advice I (unfortunately) still need regularly.

                This, too, is now at home in my office. Right up there on the desk where my anxious heart can see it often. (That sign around the pencil jar is also a piece of Amber art, by the way.)

                It’s the best.