Eulogy for Liz

My eulogy to Liz:

When Liz was first diagnosed with lung cancer, she saw it as a wake-up call from God to return to Him, and to serve Him with boldness.

Never once did she get angry with God or challenge Him why He had allowed this on her. At times when I angrily questioned God why He did not heal her she would be sad and remind me that all would be done in His time.

While she may not have been physically healed, I know God worked in other tremendous ways in her life.

She was independent and strong all throughout the 2year plus period she fought the disease. She signed up for bible study courses, attended prayer meetings, Elpizo support group meetings and continued tirelessly updating her blog.

On weekends when she could, she would still cook for the kids – all their favourite food and ran a tight ship keeping the house clean from the 3 grubby men in her life.

She still planned our holidays in her own immaculate detailed way.

Through her plight she united a divided church to intercede for her, encouraged our cell group members to stay faithful in their walk and reached out to countless friends and strangers, believers and non-believers, through her blog. She even made new friends with fellow cancer-sufferers through her blog and met them and encouraged them.

In the last few months of her journey, we have been so blessed by the love of our church, our family and friends and even complete strangers who were moved by her plight to raise funds for new treatment.

In our home, a steady stream of friends and family visiting, praying and singing praises with her, uplifted her spirits and brought back joy to our household. Even friends staying the night with her to care for her, relieving us to rest, and cooking for our kids showed that God was providing for us.

I don’t want to remember my lovely Liz as the bed-ridden, emaciated cancer sufferer. I want to remember her as the bravest woman I know, whom I had the joy of sharing my life with in more than 11 years of marriage and whose memory will continue to live on in her life’s work, her children and her blog.

While we will all miss her deeply, we will continue to see Liz living on in her 2 boys: Nicholas has all her gentleness, creativity and love for people. Ethan has all her strong will, brilliant hand-eye co-ordination, great dance moves and love for outdoor activities.

In closing, I just want to share this little extract from her blog entry to encourage all of you. These were the words she shared a little while after being diagnosed

Each day He brings new revelation as I draw closer to Him seeking His face. And living in God’s presence is far more beautiful than anything else and has even overshadowed the disease. I say, blessed be the name of the Lord. I see Him not only working in my life but in Henry’s life, my mum’s life and even in my cell group’s lives and I pray that you too will “catch the fire”.

Thank you. Please do catch the fire and renew your faith anew in the Lord.

Liz has gone home to the Lord

Henry: I know Liz has touched many lives in her constant updates and blogs ever since she began her adventure. While we are sad to see her go, we know that at last she no longer has to suffer and has returned to her real home where there will be no more tears and sadness. She left us on Thursday evening Oct 6th, 2011 in the hospital around 7.20pm after being too weak to withstand what was supposed to have been a simple tapping exercise to help her in her breathing.

I have lost my friend, my lover, my confidante in this world but I know that we'll meet again soon. Truly, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

In her last days she was getting a bit incoherent and finding difficulty focusing but she did manage to start one last post which she never finished:

"Feeling unwell

I am now currently  experoieng (sic) sickening. Hamir expected that my voice would be recover soon. Praise the Lord! 

I thank my relatives and friends who visited"

Always faithful to the end. Liz, we love you and miss you and look forward to seeing you again.

Henry, Nic and Ethan