Dearly Beloved

Betty Burdette

On the north shore of Hawaii, 

I wrote "Dearly Beloved"

in honor of my family members,

who perished in the Gulf of Mexico

after app. 15 hours of heroically battling

seven to eight-feet waves once their boat capsized.

When the Coast Guard

brought my husband and son's personal possessions

to me and my daughter-in-law,

on that Easter Sunday, in a plastic Glad Bag,

they were salt water soaked.

His (my husband's) wallet contained a note

 beginning with verse 7 of Song of Solomon chapter 8,

that I had written and given to him

app two or three weeks before he was killed.

Later, I placed ever so gently,

the wet love note on a book to dry.

The Glad Baggy had kept the wallet and all in it,

precisely as it was that Easter Sunday

when it was given to me.

 It was still salt water wet.

 God reached down from heaven

in His mighty mercy and love

with so much comfort and consolation,

using those prophetic words written in the note.

The Spirit of God fills my heart to this day

with those words.

When I look at the ocean,

unfailingly God's Spirit brings them into my mind.

To me they mean,

"nothing will be able to destroy the love our family had."

To me, they are closer now in a way,

 (my husband and my son, and Lee)

than when they were alive.

I am aware of them just under the surface constantly.

Are you wondering what the words were?

Well, may I put them into your heart,

as God has given them to me and put them into my heart?

Song of Solomon 8:7a;

Many waters cannot quench love"...

and Praise God, they can not!

On the North Shore of Hawaii,

watching the ocean intently,

I sat feeling their presence almost touching me,

and wrote ,

 "Dearly Beloved"

I heard your voice whispering and crying

Gently on the wind

Hold on, my darling, I'll be with you again

My heart is exploding

Bittersweet tears locked within

The sun didn't shine today

Because you went away

I saw you in the expanse of the deep

My arms reached out for you

I need to touch you, to hold you, today

now my tomorrows are gray

But I still hear you say

Hold on, my darling, we'll see each other again

Tomorrows and yesterdays aren't here, you say

Yes, I'll hold on, my darling

I can now make it through another today

 

bettyburdetteÓ