Today I'm sharing the poem that was read at the interment of my mother-in-law Lillie on 2/21. We each leave our own footprints in the sands of time. Would others want to follow yours? 🤔

Walk Well and Happy Sabbath and Have a Great Day! 😃

------ ❤️ ------

A Psalm of Life 

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

What The Heart Of The Young Man Said To The Psalmist.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

   Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

   And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

   And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

   Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

   Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each to-morrow

   Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

   And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

   Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,

   In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

   Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!

   Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act,— act in the living Present!

   Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us

   We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

   Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,

   Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

   Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

   With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

   Learn to labor and to wait.

Here's the Devotional that I read at the funeral for those who might want it: 

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook"

He Will Return

February 4

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:18)

He left us, and yet we are not left orphans. He is our comfort, and He is gone; but we are not comfortless. Our comfort is that He will come to us, and this is consolation enough to sustain us through His prolonged absence. Jesus is already on His way: He says, "I come quickly": He rides posthaste toward us. He says, "I will come": and none can prevent His coming, or put it back for a quarter of an hour. He specially says, "I will come to you"; and so He will. His coming is specially to and for His own people. This is meant to be their present comfort while they mourn that the Bridegroom doth not yet appear.

When we lose the joyful sense of His presence we mourn, but we may not sorrow as if there were no hope. Our Lord in a little wrath has hid Himself from us for a moment, but He will return in full favor. He leaves us in a sense, but only in a sense. When He withdraws, He leaves a pledge behind that He will return. O Lord, come quickly! There is no life in this earthly existence if Thou be gone. We sigh for the return of Thy sweet smile. When wilt Thou come unto us? We are sure Thou wilt appear; but be Thou like a roe, or a young hart. Make no tarrying, O our God!

I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Aunt Lillie. She was such a kind and caring soul, and I will always remember how warmly she called me when my family and I first moved to the USA. Aunt Lillie was the first to reach out, checking on us and making sure we are okay. Her genuine concern and kindness meant so much to me, and I will forever cherish our conversations.

She was so excited when I told her my parents and aunts were visiting this year, and her sweet words, hoping she'd be here to meet them, have stayed with me. It brings me comfort knowing that I was able to share in some joyful moments with her.

She will always hold a special place in my heart! 

My heartfelt condolences to the family. 

Lillie Acca was like my elder sister who would always take extra time each week to talk to me and find out about my welfare.

May God strengthen us in his faith as we await his second coming.

Percy Alvine Bob

Aunty Lillie.. you will be missed !

Thank you aunty for being such wonderful human being. 

Her care, concern and compassion for everyone was immense. 

We eagerly wait for the second coming of Christ when we meet aunty Lillie again.

As we say goodbye to aunty Lillie, she will be dearly missed in our daily life.

I am heartbroken by the passing of Aunty Lillie, a remarkable figure in my life and the lives of many others.

Reflecting on my early years as an orphaned infant, I am reminded of the dedicated doctors, nurses, and staff who became my family. Among them was Aunty Lillie, who led Flaiz Ward before moving to the U.S. She, along with others, cared for my needs during those formative years.

Aunty Lillie was not just a caregiver; she was a central figure in the Adventist Indian community, who was deeply connected to my mother, Marion Miller. For 19 years, my mother devoted her life to medical work in Nuzvid, and Aunty Lillie was not only her student in the late 1950s but also her colleague when she returned as nursing supervisor. Their friendship blossomed over the decades, highlighted by the wonderful Sabbath potlucks Aunty organized for GMH alumni during our visits.

In my mother's final years, Aunty Lillie and her husband consistently checked in, ensuring my mother’s needs were met. Aunty Lillie was by my mother’s bedside when she took her last breath, along with a few loyal friends from GMH. This was not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Aunty Lillie took it upon herself to guide me once again, forging a beautiful friendship over the past 15 years that I will always cherish.

I am forever grateful for the love and loyalty Aunty Lillie showed to my mother and to me. Her passing marks another significant milestone in my life, but she ensured I remained connected with her family—Asha, Pradeep, Sujatha, and Mark. I hope we can honor her legacy and continue to build upon the rich connections she fostered.

Rest in peace, dear Aunty Lillie. You will be deeply missed. 

David Miller