Goodbye...

She fought the fight. She finished the race. She kept the faith. From now on, she has reserved for her the crown of righteousness, surely covered in glitter, and rests in God until the day of resurrection. 

After eight years of gracefully and bravely living with cancer, Tammi completed her journey on December 16th, at 1 am, surrounded by her parents, her sister, her three children and their spouses, and held by her husband until she took her last breath. She endured every treatment possible, facing pain with a smile, all in order to buy some extra days with her family and friends, the thing she valued most. And when medicine was no longer an option, her family chose mercy, allowing her to rest while she ventured to her Lord. 

In her last hours her kids found her phone, and turned on her favorite playlist. The music that sung her to sleep in these last weeks did so again for the last time. Her phone sang of Amazing Grace, and wondered How Great Is Our God, and begged Don't Cry For Me Down Here, and promised Emmanuel would come. Even in her death, she managed to care for us, assuring us that she knew where she was going, and would be okay. 

So while we can't help the tears, we are also trying hard to remember all that Tammi taught us in life and in her death. To not be worried. To not let go of one another. To know that God is bigger than all trouble we may face. And to always know that the light shines in the darkness, and if you can see it, even sparkles in the darkness, and the darkness can't overcome it. 

Friends, Tammi loved you all, so very much. Mourn her in all the ways you must. But never stop looking for the light, and helping to be part of it's sparkling in all that you do. That is how St. Tammi would want it to be. Amen.