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I have always been proud of my Norwegian blood. As a young girl, we have been taught so much about who came before us.
My Grandma Berling always spoke of her love, Gusta Berling. Although he had been gone for over 20 years, he has always been alive in her heart.
Because of her love and devotion, I feel a deep connection with my grandfather who passed shortly after I was born. He is very real and still alive in the family.
Grandma always talked about the gospel. She radiated faith, light, and love. Many of us would receive voicemails of her starting and ending a conversation testifying of Jesus Christ. The gospel was part of her. She was not ashamed, not to anyone at any time.
As I cleaned out my memory box, I found a poem from 8th grade. While reading this I was overcome with the sense of love for my heritage.
“I am from boxes full of babies
From Sunday roast and fancy clothes
I am from the dark storage room basement
Beating hearts of sweaty children playing hide and seek
I am from our family cherry tree
Ladder carefully placed to retrieve the red ripe cherries
I am from collecting pennies to worn out tap shoes
From Gosta Berling and Arzelle Case, missionaries and veterans
And great family support
I am from Norwegian chocolate and open face sandwiches
From the conversation of the gospel
And from the loss of a spouse
Comforted by ‘cloudy sky’ as it wraps tightly around
My small delicate body
I am from the moments spent laughing, crying, forgiving, and loving.”
Message after message shared, generation after generation wants to express love and the support that they are offering to us.
Many find it incomprehensible people we don’t know are so invested. When we are reunited, we will know every last one of them.
I will never forget the message a father wanted to show his respect for his son’s hard work ethic. “It runs in the family.
We have all had physical labor jobs, we know how tiring it can be: know the days you are exhausted and don’t know how you can keep going, we are all here son. Cheering you on, you are honoring our name. We are all so proud of you.”
While he expressed this, I saw him putting his hand on his son’s shoulder followed by all the rest of the men in a line putting hands on the shoulders of the next to form a never-ending line of support and love.
They offered love, support, and gratitude in the honor he is leaving with their name.
We have endless support and love from our loved ones. They are here to help give us added strength.
Our angles kneel in reverence as we pour out of hearts in prayer. In fact, they are praying with us. Whether the cause be a lost child, a broken heart, unemployment, marriage struggles, or even prayers of gratitude. They experience it all with us. They want to be apart of our lives.
Many angels will share messages of what they wished they learned before leaving their physical bodies. Many express a concern that consumed them in the ways of the world.
They obsessed with achieving bigger and better, higher paying job, obtaining more clothes, the newest appliances.
They forgot what mattered most: our experience, love, and relationships. They always leave a message of what they wish they could have done better.
Just what any of us would do when we love and care for those around us.
What will you leave behind? Who and what will loved-ones remember you by? If you feel a need to change, I encourage you… do it.