“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14
Everybody in our Church knows, and LOVES, Carol! Carol and her husband John were part of our church for over 35 years! Both ended up in an assisted living facility, where John passed away, during the covid period, from Alzheimers. I went to visit Carol yesterday for several reasons.
Carol is moving away to be with her family and live in a great big farm house. When I walked in, several of her family members were helping to pack up her ‘stuff.’ I use the word ‘stuff’ loosely because it seemed to be EVERYWHERE! Knowing that a final move might give a person REASON to cut back and get rid of a lot of things, I could tell by the look on Carol’s face that she hadn’t even given it a thought! She ‘wanted it all!’
Carol is the sweetest person I know. And she has a sense of humor that never stops! With only 1 leg, and being confined to a wheelchair, I couldn’t resist teasing her about her shoe box. She had a LOT of them! I asked if she bought them in pairs or if she had a left legged friend she swapped with. She laughed and continued to fill the box.
When the subject of her hats came up, Her daughters rolled their eyes. Erupting out of a HUGE box were DOZENS of old lady hats. And she wanted them ALL! We talked, teased, laughed and remembered. I did a lot of it because, well, I have this habit of injecting humor where hurt and pain exist. And Carol’s leaving was already starting a thump in my heart. After this weekend, with family flying in for the memorial service of John, I probably would never see Carol again…this side of Heaven.
In a world gone crazy, Carol is just my kind. She takes serious hits, but not too seriously, and continues on with joy in her Savior. And with her fancy dresses and hats, she does it with a STYLE I could never attain. Her life reminds me of the verse today because she is ALWAYS pressing, and looking forward to what’s forward!! Even with a twinkle in her eye!
As I was leaving she hollered out, “HEY…Don’t forget John!” I had come to get John’s cremains for Sunday’s Memorial Service. After fetching ‘him’ from the sunny windowsill, I tucked the box under my arm… remembering exactly how I felt when I carried the same kind of box that held my Dad’s stuff. In the elevator down, I talked with John as if I was seeing him again, for the very first time…in Glory! He remained quiet!
A person can learn a LOT from watching other people living life.. like Jesus meant it to be! With STYLE!
