A Tribute to Lindsay Emerson 13.9.1983 - 22.4.2007
CAUGHT BETWEEN THE MYSTERY
We come with faith
But the theology don’t rhyme
We come with hope
But we are all out of time
We come with reason to believe
But reason isn’t what it was
We come with words that fail us
But Jesus never does
Faces stained with the love we cherished
Our hearts broken into a million pieces
It’s the hardest thing you can ever do
Give your love into the arms of Jesus
And I know today Lindsay is singing
But it don’t make this anymore right
To be caught between the mystery of darkness
And the mystery of God’s good light.
Last night some of his gathered in our bungalow at Derryvolgie where Alain lived, ministered and then Lindsay ministered and lived. Grace and Ricky met there too. 28 of Lindsay’s friends gathered just to be together. In a very sad and sombre quiet John Martin started sharing his memories of Lindsay. His emotions caught up with him before he could finish but he did remember that she had a bony bum!
John had started something and I have to say that the next hour and abit was the sadest and most beautiful times I have had in Chaplaincy. I guess what we shared was that a short life can be a big life and I heard things that were astonishing in the quiet impact that Lindsay Anderson/ Emerson (she’ll always be Mrs E. to me) made on this world…
There were two girls who had ended up in Derryvolgie before everyone else. Lindsay had started her Christian Aid year and she welcomed them and cared for them… What struck me was that there were not many more than two who would have been there at that time of year and both of them were there last night
Lindsay’s beauty was a recurring trait… People in awe of it… and I know that was the part of her looks that she struggled with… but she needn’t have. Helen told me about being in awe of her at school and then when she was scared on her first day at Derryvolgie suddenly that girl too good looking to bother with her was straight over and spoke her name…
My Alain was another recurring trait… Nicola and Gillian remembered Limo birthdays, proposals… There was a palpable prayer that a room full of twenty-somethings might know something of that love that never left her conversation…
Chris spoke of her quieting to mice a room full of junior BB boys… having them in the palm of her hand, like no one else he’d ever seen…
Alastair shared how she had been involved in making Queens a Fair Trade University and how her diligence to it had inspired him…
Her travels to Bukina Faso, Phillippines and Uganda were mentioned…
Our Cape Town trip in 04 came up quite a lot and Ruth spoke of being given her hottie (not Alain but a tartan hot water bottle) when it was cold but Lindsay felt Ruth who wasn’t feeling so well needed it more… Gordon spoke about the life changing moment in Walo Nani an Aids clinic in Khayelitscha. Lindsay had set it up… If I was asked what is the most powerful moment in all our trips it would be Sonop Fair Trade Vineyard and it was Lindsay who connected us with that too… Mrs E – it changed my life…
Colin shared about his early moment of courtship and admitting to be a fumbling wreck but how Lindsay gave him confidence even saying “if I was single I’d go for someone like you!... She then helped him wangle more time with this girl until Colin finally got round to asking… to which his girlfriend said, “oh so the good looking girl said she’d have you so you thought then you were bound to get a yes from the plainer one!
Sharon shared about how in Cape Town She caught on about Guiney and Lynn before Alain… she was sure of it… I think that was Lindsay… Alain, when we were concentrated and thought she was distracted she was actually concentrating on what we were distracted from… catching all the wee jobs God needed done on the edge of the photograph…
What I heard was the illustration of a life lived for God… she never wanted to be a preacher or missionary or up front leader… She just lived it… There’s a great photo in Alain’s scrap book where she is sleeping with the Bible in front of her… It didn’t sleep in her living… Last night and these sad days are a mediation of a life lived that can teach us so much…
In their wedding vows they made sure that verse in John 3 where those born of the spirit would be blown wherever… It was their prayer… their mission statement… She had no idea how much she blew us to God… and she’d laugh at the thought of how big her short life was…
BLOWN AWAY/YOU BLEW US AWAY (For Mrs E with eternal thanks)
Born to be wild as the breeze that blows
Never sure where its from or where it goes
In an energised life of God only knows
You were blown away
You lived an air of elegance and grace
The aroma of Jesus in many a stinking place
We were refreshed everytime we shared your space
You blew us away.
Born to be wild as the wind that swirls
Extraordinary things in the skin of an ordinary girl
Left an indelible mark on God changing the world
You were blown away
And you loved like we all dream to be loved
You and your Alain you could never get enough
He knew you were loaned out from heaven above
He was blown away.
Born to be wild as the storm that gusts
You were sustained on your sick bed with a quiet trust
We didn’t want you go but you knew you must
You were blown away
Our memories whirl like a scared meditation
Your life whispering like a sermon illustration
Of what can be done if we take Jesus invitation
Mrs E, may your memory blow us all away.
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