By Judy Haughton-James
Yesterday after having a terrible toothache in the morning I rushed off to my dentist. I am not among those persons who dread going to the dentist but still I do not eagerly look forward to going there. However I almost ran into his office as the pain was so bad.
Early in the morning I kept thinking about November 4, 2008, my first birthday without my twin sister. She died on October 16 and was buried on November 1. Of course that was not a birthday that I was in the mood to celebrate. I decided that it was going to be treated like just another day and suddenly I called my dentist and made an appointment.
I got up on that birthday morning and headed off to the dentist. Being in the dentist's chair, getting injections and a filling was so fitting for what I considered a day of torture. The dentist did ask me some questions about Janine and her death but I made sure not to mention that the day was in fact our birthday.
Although I have been to the dentist since then, these memories raged in my mind yesterday but with God's help I managed to be strong. I was determined that despite having an extraction and some discomfort I would stop at the cemetery and visit her grave on my way home. I stayed there for awhile and was relieved to see that some artificial flowers that were put on her grave in December 2010 still looked good. I know that my sister's spirit is not in that grave but I will never forget the words on her tombstone " I THANK MY GOD UPON REMEMBRANCE OF YOU." Philippians 1:3
