Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

Jay (standing, second from left)
with family members at Easter

Jay passed away very early Thursday morning. The following is from his prayer blog:

Thursday Morning Update

1:00am

Jay received well over two dozen visitors in his room throughout the day, Wednesday, as friends came by to bid him farewell. His nurses commented to me how privileged they felt to be able to hear such loving friends talking to Jay, praying over him and telling funny or touching stories about him. One nurse told me that in 28 years of working at Methodist Hospital, she couldn't recall ever seeing such an outpouring of love from an almost endless procession of well-wishers. She felt blessed to be there and said it did not even feel like she was working.

At 9:00 in the evening, over 50 family and friends gathered in the hospital chapel, filling it to standing room only and into the lobby for an informal prayer service to send Jay on his final journey. Pastors Paul and Dick led us in prayers, and several in attendance prayed aloud as well. A number of people shared joyful remembrances of Jay. We closed in singing Amazing Grace.

Jay's family and pastors then gathered in his room for prayers, a final farewell, then a benediction as we gave him over to the Lord.

Our prayers for a quick and peaceful transition to heaven were answered, as Jay was gone within minutes after his ventilator was removed.

At 11:05 PM, Wednesday, May 6, 2009, John Arthur "Jay" Denison was completely healed by The Great Physician as he stepped into the presence of our Lord Jesus, who surely hugged him saying, "Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant" while the angels and saints sent up a thunderous cheer of welcome.

And a quote from an unexpected source on Kiki's blog:

Who’d have thought that a Lemony Snicket quote could feel so appropriate at a given time?…

“It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things.”

It is so strange to think that when we take our trip to California in less than two weeks, that Jay won't be at Kiki's graduation party. If you know anything about my family, you know that if you spend any amount of time with us, we will make your "ours." Jay is definitely in that category and there is a hole in our family now.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers for my family. Please continue to pray for God's peace and solace.