Forside Articles I Never Forget that Woman
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Skrevet af Jørn Nielsen   
Lørdag, 04. juni 2011 09:32

 

She was beautiful, young and smart with an IQ far above average, wanted to study law, but she was too young and started a nurse education instead, but still wanted to pursue a law career.  She fell in love with a young farmer, however, and became his helpmeet for the next 50 years.

What happened to all her talents?  Well, her education went on as a godly mother of finally 8 choice children.  Instead of appearing at a bar she worked side by side with her husband in the fields, with the beets, in the stables, at the milking machines, and in the kitchen where the children had free access to the refrigerator. 

She was the charming, cheerful hostess in their hospitable home, her intelligence far exceeded the rest of us, a dispute was settled with just a few smiling remarks without the slightest suggestion of arrogance, she made her guests feel relaxed, and I sometimes said to her, “Bodil, you are my role model”, but she brushed me off with a disarming laughter.

At her funeral last Wednesday 250 came along of which the children with their spouses and grandchildren amounted to about 40.  I´ve never in my life experienced such a joyful funeral.  Bodil was “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8), so it was a memorial with cheerful testimonies from her husband, children and grandchildren who also gave us some pieces of singing and music.  I´m not exaggerating, but the very sight of the children and the children´s children was a revelation of beauty.  As far as I could see nobody used make-up, for their natural beauty outshined the most expensive cosmetics.

What happened to Bodil´s education?  As far as I´m concerned she became the best educated woman I´ve ever known.  Her godly life was reproduced in the many children who on their part display a rich diversity of talents, within music, art, painting, health care, contractors, and of course farming.  One of the sons took over the farm and had a beautiful apartment built for Bodil and her husband, Kaj.

Do I have a point?  I hope so.  Bodil followed her godly calling, and the Lord blessed her life to her family, the farm, the church (she was a competent organist) and to many, many friends.  Bodil “being dead still speaks” of what the Lord may get out of a life committed to Him.

Let the world have its standards of its own.  The followers of Christ have different standards with an eternal perspective. “We´ll see you again”, we said to her at her cancer stricken deathbed.  She smiled so sweetly, but couldn´t say anything.  “Auf Wiedersehen”, the Germans say.  Our Danish words are close to that. We jokingly suggested things we would rejoice about in Heaven, maybe things we talked about at our last visit in her home.  I remember her smile, and we´ll meet that smile again with many, many other smiles – very soon maybe, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Oh, let us live with that perspective till our last breath here on earth!

June 3, 2011 - jn

 
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