REFLECTIONS OF MY AUNT

My aunt was so special! Just walking into a room- she seemed to fill it with light. Even at her bad moments , she knew how to laugh. I will miss her. The picture below was taken in a Maryland park in 1958. I was only 5 and was not present. I did a little artistic interpretation of the photo to show how I feel about Aunt Dee Dee watching over those she loves. She is now enfolded by the loving embrace of Our Lord but the following passage from the Book of Hebrews seems to say that those who are asleep in Christ are able to see the happenings on this sad, little planet.(The very last verse is the one that describes the Saints in Christ (and we are all Saints if we KNOW Him) being able to see the events in this world.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the ages were framed by a word of God, so that the things being seen not to have come into being out of the things that appear.
Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts. And by it he, being dead, yet speaks.
Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated so as not to see death, and he was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, having been warned by God of things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out into a place which he was afterward going to receive for an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he went.
Heb 11:9 By faith he lived in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the same promise with him.
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Heb 11:11 By faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him who had promised to be faithful.
Heb 11:12 Because of this came into being from one, and that of one having died, even as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
Heb 11:13 These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they who say such things declare plainly that they seek a fatherland.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 But now they stretch forth to a better fatherland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. And he who had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son,
Heb 11:18 of whom it was said that in Isaac your Seed shall be called,
Heb 11:19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from where he even received him, in a figure.
Heb 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Heb 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
Heb 11:22 By faith, Joseph dying remembered concerning the Exodus of the sons of Israel and gave orders concerning his bones.
Heb 11:23 By faith Moses, having been born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child. And they were not afraid of the king's commandments.
Heb 11:24 Having become great, Moses by faith refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
Heb 11:25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time,
Heb 11:26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
Heb 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
Heb 11:28 Through faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest He who destroyed the first-born should touch them.
Heb 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned.
Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed seven days.
Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
Heb 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah; also David, and Samuel and the prophets,
Heb 11:33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the strangers.
Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
Heb 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings; yes, more, of bonds and imprisonments.
Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.
Heb 11:38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, did not receive the promise,
Heb 11:40 for God had provided some better thing for us, that they should not be made perfect without us.
Heb 12:1 Therefore since we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Heb 12:2 looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God.