A Presence at Dying

I read a wonderful story this morning about "The Growth of Deathbed Choirs"  in Huffpost Religion.  It has a picture showing such a situation and gives the instructions that Ellen  Synakowski gives to her choir members as they go to face such situations. 

The group surrounds the person with a mantra:  "It's alright, you can go.  Your memories are safe with us".  Whether the group sings hymns, etc., the article does not say but they sing the mantra and they sing as death comes to the person. 

I had more questions than answers after I read this article.   Is this a local church and are these congregants?   I have no wish to be non- saccharine but there are people I might not want around at this time--do I even know their names or would I want to be friends with them if I were to live? 

But it made me think!   I can see groups and choirs being a wonderful help to the person who was dying and to the members of the family (in the next room) who had no idea what to do next at this point!    Psalm 100 says:   "Come into his presence with singing!"   It just never occurred to me that this might mean at the point when the transformation was taking place!   I just can't ignore my thoughts that every situation in which a person is facing an immanent death may have similarities but they have differences also.  And the families and circumstances are different!

But there is one thing of which I am sure.  Death awaits us all and it cannot be pushed aside and avoided.  I can (and have) talked with my children and signed all the paperwork at the local funeral home.  I want to live every day I am given to the fullest.   And I want to know that each day I lived was precious to me.   I can't plan out who will be there with me when my time comes but I can try to minimize any regrets and stomp out as much inner anger as I approach the throne of grace.   That throne of grace will provide the greatest presence there, wherever and whenever!