A groaning heart

April 22 is a very sad day for our family... Peggy Hockett passed away. Today I have no words, only a groaning heart; a sad, heavy heart. A heart that aches and moans from its depths… the sting of death has once again blindsided me.

Once again death has blindsided me and taken one of my favorite people, Peggy Hockett! The precious, selfless, delightful Pegs! A life so rich and deep, busy taking care of people everywhere she was. Whether it was Joe, the kids, her mother, her community or her job, she was always making sure everyone was ok. She worked so hard wherever she was and brought so much life and energy everywhere she went. 
Every time dad and I would come up to visit I knew it was going to be a week of laughter… I can still hear it so vividly, so distinct and full of joy.

It seems like it was just yesterday that we were up hunting and staying with Joe and Pegs. We were just there sitting around the table listening to Joe give us some B.S about how our day went banging cocks (how he hit every bird and dad and I went through 3 boxes of shells and came home with 1 bird each)… or feeding us a line about ridiculous politics… or crossing the line with a joke like he often does and Peggy would quickly interject…”Joe!!” (you know exactly the tone in which she said this). Following dinner without hesitation she would put leftovers in a small Tupperware container to take to her mother… the essence of her character (what a beautiful heart!)

The rest of the evening would be spent simply enjoying one another‘s company… talking, eating dessert, laughing, listening to ridiculous stories from Joe… waiting for him to lure you into a heated debate, listening to stories of old, when my Dad and Joe were kids and the embellished tales they would tell us for the 20^th time. Peggy and I had heard them so many times, but would just sit and listen like it was the first time we had heard them.

We would spend hours talking about life and she would always talk about my mother and the joy she brought the world. We would discuss social issues… local to South Dakota as well as across the globe. We shared a heart for the broken and desired to see wholeness and restoration to the broken. We talked about adventures… past experiences as well as hopes for future adventures. She was eager to learn new things and be used in whatever way she could.

However, today I have no words to express my sadness; only a groaning heart; a sad, heavy heart. A heart that aches and moans from its depths… the sting of death has once again blindsided me.

Peggy Hockett lived a beautiful life… a simple life… a life of such love and joy. She lived her life to take care of the people around her… a beautiful model of selflessnerss and utter humility. Her love for the Lord was seen by the way she loved people. 

I know that her and my mom are basking in one another’s presence… what an image… Peggy, Shelly and Jesus… what a trio, two of his most precious daughters finally sitting around the table with him. Perfect and beautiful, laughing and smiling in the presence of the almighty God.