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Over the last few weeks my family has been the object of more love and affection than I would have thought possible. Our friends, family members, and, in some cases, people we don’t even know have ministered to us. In spite of their own feelings of grief and personal loss; they have lifted us up in prayer and comforted us.
For that I thank you.
Clearly the intent of this event is to celebrate Mom, and I can think of no better way to do that than to share with her family and friends this place that she loved so much.
I wish I could condense her experience on the Silver Comet Trail into one paragraph, but I’m afraid I can’t. She saw so much beauty on this trail. She saw snakes and birds. She followed deer and foxes. She made a new friend here every day.
Mom experienced creation on a Cannondale.
I never fully realized this at the time, but the two most important things Mom found in this place were beauty and community. I can think of no better place to experience community than in the presence of beauty.
She expressed to us on many occasions how much she loved cycling and how much she enjoyed the people she met here every day.
On her behalf, my family thanks the cycling community and the hundreds of people who brought joy and adventure to her life through this sport.
From my family to yours: it is our hope that this tragedy will not cause you to change your lifestyles and habits out of a spirit of fear. Mom was acutely aware of danger, but that awareness empowered her. She was attentive to the perils in life, but she refused to allow a spirit of fear to temper her willingness to embrace beauty.
Mom lived an intelligent life. She knew that the greatest danger in existence is not a nameless evil lurking in the shadows. The greatest danger in life is allowing fear to prevent you from pursuing your dreams.
My family’s belief is that Mom’s death saved a life; maybe one of yours. So, since she cannot be here to enjoy it; I encourage you to enjoy it for her. I urge you to go out from here in a spirit of joy with the knowledge that you have a clear trail ahead of you, but most of all I pray that you will remember my mother in this place.
JGE
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Hi, Jim--
You must know how we pray for you and love you and think of you. I am thankful to read again and again your powerful words of remembrance and comfort at your mother's memorial service. I'm writing to ask for you permission to include this sentences in the fall Theological Horizons newsletter. I am including a special segment honoring Jenny and announcing gifts made in her memory.
“I bear witness to a life well-lived and a family built strong on Christ; the only foundation that can’t be shaken…Today we feel like a thousand kites cut loose from their moorings…..but we’re not. We’re bound tightly to the hand of Jesus; connected to one another in a web of love crafted by my mother.”
--Jim Ewing at the memorial service for his mother, Jennifer Slocumb Ewing
We love you, karen and charles marsh
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