Lowmans Arizona Funeral Home

“Christmas In Heaven”

We hope this article finds all of you enjoying this Holiday Season and would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.  It’s hard to believe that this special time of year is already presenting itself.  It feels, at times, as though it was just “yesterday” that I tucked away all of our Christmas decorations.  For some of us, this time of year, in particular, can feel overwhelming, especially if someone in our lives is no longer physically present.  My prayer for those of you that may be experiencing this would be that your heart can feel their love for you and that God will give you the strength and return the joy of this special time of year to you.  All we each have to do is to open our hearts and minds to receive it.  When it comes right down to it, it is because of Him that we honor and celebrate this time of year.

Sadness can zap a phenomenal amount of energy from us and with the loss of a loved one it can be difficult to overcome.  With the loss of my father, I am learning to embrace and truly cherish all of the memories I have been blessed with.  This year I’m a little excited because for the first time ever, I believe that my Daddy is going to be able to witness my “labor of love” that I assemble every year.

Over several years I have been collecting and expanding a Christmas Village I put together every year at Christmas time.  To me, it is so—— magical that I can’t hold back my tears upon its completion.  Watching it turns back the years and I feel like a small child in awe.  My parents have never seen this “village”.  I put in literally 100+ hours and it encompasses our entire dining room.  It began small enough to place on my kitchen window sill.  It is complete with houses, a ski lodge and lift, wildlife, 2-3 skating rinks, a park, shopping area, 2 churches, each displaying lighted nativity scenes, children playing, throwing snowballs, sledding, running with their dogs, holding a garage sale, as well as cats lounging and stretching, and raccoons checking out the trash cans.  There is a street with the local post office, bank, and fire department, along with a neighborhood complete with houses and yards decorated for the holidays, Santa’s sleigh atop of one of the homes, as well as tree houses and wood piles, and snowmen.  There are figurines hustling in the shopping area complete with a toy store and other shops contained in a city.  There are walkways, carved styro-foam mountains, and a trolley that runs the length of the city.  There is even a moon that glows, along with fiber optic trees, as well as so many types of trees.  It is a miniature city in motion and I, along with those I am blessed to share it with, find it to be quite magical.  There is so much to see.  But this year, I truly believe that my Daddy will be able to see what I’ve been working on for years and the joy that it brings me.

I know that it is because of God’s grace that I am able to embrace this feeling.  I’m not sure how those deal with loss if they don’t have their faith, but I do know that mine has helped me to endure and comfort me and feel the blessings of family and love.

I have shared the following Christmas poem with you on two other occasions throughout the years, so please forgive my selfishness as I run it again for me and my family this year.  It has comforted so many.  So please indulge me and may it also give you peace.  Because of my parents great faith, it is extremely comforting to me and I pray that it brings comfort to my mom and those of you have lost a loved one.

My First Christmas In Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below

With tiny lights, like Heaven’s stars, reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular; please wipe away the tear,

For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,

But the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you the joy their voices bring,

For it is beyond descriptions to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me; I see the pain inside your heart,

But I am not so far away, we really aren’t apart.

So be happy for me dear ones.  You know I hold you near,

And be glad I’m spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I send you each a special gift from my heavenly home above,

I send you each a memory of my undying love.

After all “love” is the gift, more precious than pure gold.

It was always most important in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do,

For I can’t count the blessings or love He has for you.

So have a joyous Christmas and wipe away the tear,

Remember, I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

Author Unknown

May God richly bless you, your families, South Mountain and Laveen Villages this very

special Holiday Season.

As always, Bill and Inried Lowman are available 24/7 at (602) 276-3601, toll free (877) 276-3601, fax (602) 276-1889, and e-mails at ijlowman@aol.com or wmlowman@aol.com.