A beautiful life

A dear friend of mine left her earthly home this week to begin her eternal life in God's kingdom above. She has battled cancer for over five years with a faith and strength that I have never seen in another human being. She truly believed in the power of prayer, even enlisting a group that she communicated with via e-mail and deemed her prayer warriors. She was an amazing fighter and an incredible woman. Even a picture taken of her on Sunday, just a couple days before her passing, with her new granddaughter shows her smiling with kind eyes. That picture exemplified who she was - a bright spirit even as she faced death.

I have many special memories with Jane. I spent nearly every morning for one summer learning to ride horses at her farm. After our rides, I would help her feed the many hounds kept on the farm and clean kennels. As only she could, she made that enjoyable for us both. For many years, we would giggle about the day I proudly saddled the horse I was going to ride, all by myself, only to discover upon her inspection that I put the saddle on perfectly.....backwards. I stayed with her and her husband in their suburban home for a week once. That was my first experience eating shark and I have been meaning to do it again for a long time.

The memories could continue to flow from my fingertips but I will keep them for sharing during a memorial celebration and gathering to honor Jane's life next weekend. However, there will be one that I will hold near and dear to my heart for a very long time. When I got married three years ago Jane was undergoing treatments and had a vulnerable immune system. The doctors were recommending very little interaction with other people for fear of her catching a bug. When she walked in to the church on that June day my heart soared (and of course the tears flowed). I can't express in words how thankful I was to share that celebration with her.

There are several people who have passed that I try to remember as examples for living my life. Jane will surely be one of these people. She enjoyed life's small moments, served others, shared her good fortune and loved her lord. She was a blessed woman and lived a beautiful life. I'll miss her.