Cat Caird has one of those rare and beautiful combinations of a burning passion for Jesus together with a gentle and generous spirit. I have the privilege of knowing her as a good friend locally, and I can vouch for the fact that she likes her coffee strong, her chocolate dark, and her books in plentiful supply. She loves Jesus and she loves to invite people to know him. Over to Cat:
The poem you are about to read was written in reflection of two moments in my life where suffering occurred. It didn’t happen directly at me, but I watched two loved ones be eaten away by cancer. The first time was when I was 9 and I felt a great hopelessness and darkness. The second time was when I was 25 and I felt great sadness but I was not swallowed up in darkness because I knew that there was hope. This hope comes through and in Jesus Christ. He found me when I was 17 and has shown me he is the victor of death and he walks with us through our suffering. I look back on those two moments and know that Jesus understands this suffering far more than I do and through his death and resurrection he raises up hope and gives comfort to those who suffer.
Through my eyes
I had 9 year old eyes
And the world had bright pixels,
With the sun streaming across them;
Making days seem endless
And the night a distant speck.
Yet those eyes turned misty when
I heard the word cancer;
They said it was clinging to Nan
Like an invading army
Ready to strike and suck out life.
Through 9 year old eyes
I find myself perplexed as to why,
The days of hide and seek
And laughter
While eating chicken crisps
Soon need to fade and said goodbye with a kiss.
Now through 25 year old eyes
The world looks a little hazier
And with grey edged pixels
I hear those words again –
Cancer; for Aunty this time
And death knocks on the door.
But I learnt a new thing:
Death has no sting.
It struts like it does
And casts a spell of dismay,
But light pierces deeper
And punctures the cloak of Hades.
I don’t know if these ladies
Knew love divine, the great Shepherd.
But I know death is not the end
Its claws have been removed
And its poison has been drunk.
As these 25 year old eyes
Watch the coffin slide through,
Weeping and wailing ensues,
But I have a new hope.
Light will overcome darkness
And the bringer of life will bring comfort
To all those who find refuge in him.
I am a wife of one wonderful husband. I work in student Christian ministry where I get to tell students about Jesus. I love words and how they sound. I love to write poetry and I enjoy blogging thoughts and ideas. I love reading and watching fairy-tale stories and I enjoy doing all this with a good cup of fresh strong coffee.
Visit her blog – Sunshine Lenses – and follow her on Twitter.
Over to you:
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Hi Cat. Lovely to see you here today. I’m with you on the love of poetry, books, coffee and dark chocolate! Such little graces can make a life feel brighter. Your poem is beautiful. How well you encapsulate the inner vision of a 9 year old child and young adult in this great reminder that death is not the end of the story and hope exists for life to come. It’s also a very moving tribute to your lost loved ones. Death’s “poison has been drunk” and sting removed by the finished work of Christ, and for this we rejoice. Though tears and sadness prevail at the empty space our dear departed loved ones leave behind.
Hey Joy!
Im so glad you enjoyed my poem :)! It was a risk writing a poem because I know that not many people read or connect with poems as well and also I always feel like poetry is a window to your soul and so it feels like your heart and thoughts are been written down in ink!
Its so good to be reminded that death is not the end and there is hope. Just as Call the Midwife says:
“For just as the swan’s last song is the sweetest of its life, so loss is made endurable by love and it is love that will echo through eternity.” 🙂
Hi Cat…..I have enjoyed your guest post today. Beautiful poem…a tribute to those you have loved…and lost. Cancer. A stealer of hope and joy and life…unless you know The One who overcame death and the grave.
The only time ‘death’ causes me to fear, is when I think of those loved ones who have gone on to a Christ-less eternity. Those who failed to bend the knee and the heart to The One in the here and now. Jesus IS the Only Way, the Only Truth, the Only Life. And they missed it. They refused to surrender. Yet, I also find Hope in the fact that HE knows every human heart, and the final decision is HIS.
Jillie, Im so glad you enjoyed my post today – I felt honoured that Tanya would ask me to write a post like this! I agree with you – I have the same fear and it causes me sadness, I desire for my friends and family to come and know Jesus because of the great love he has for them and because he takes away the fear and destroys death. But you are right, he knows the hearts of men and women and we can trust that he will be Just and merciful. 🙂
Hi Cat
I see we share the love of poetry and strong coffee. This is so true, dear one! I have the same illness as Tanya and have often cried from the depth of my being, “Come Lord Jesus, come”! For I know Him who has taken the sting of death away. Actually, He destroyed that sting!
Much love
Mia
Hey Mia,
Thank you for your comment. Its great to hear that you love poetry and strong coffee! And its such good news that Jesus has destroyed the sting of death :)!