This week past I said goodbye to a friend. \u00a0She passed too young. And yet, she is free now of her body that rebelled against her. \u00a0I have found myself remembering just how much this friend impacted my life. \u00a0She encouraged me to ask questions without fear. \u00a0To seek answers about the hard stuff. \u00a0She had a sixth sense. \u00a0Sometimes I wasn’t sure if it was real but over the years I became a believer. \u00a0She had such a passion of women and was a true minister to so many. \u00a0I loved her irreverentness. \u00a0She spoke without holding back. \u00a0Sometimes, what she had to say was very hard to hear, yet she spoke the truth out of love and when spoken in love, you are forced to listen. \u00a0She seemed to know when she was needed. \u00a0I am not a person that will seek help from outside my circle. \u00a0I just didn’t do that. \u00a0And yet, time after time, she would show up. \u00a0Sometimes I’d get in trouble for not taking care of myself. \u00a0Sometimes she just offered a hug. \u00a0Sometimes she rallied the troops to swoop in. \u00a0She taught me that being a giver was great. \u00a0But sometimes, us givers need to let other give and we need to become gracious recievers. \u00a0That was very hard.<\/p>\n
As a minister to women, she worked tireless. \u00a0She would be there at any hour and didn’t seem to notice the time. \u00a0I saw and heard so many stories of her being there for new moms. \u00a0Moms that were suffering. \u00a0I saw her take over when a mom couldn’t do for her family anymore- she just stepped in. \u00a0Tirelessly. \u00a0I don’t think she ever looked for the thank you or the gratitude. \u00a0I doubt she could remember all the lives she helped.<\/p>\n
She was a momma and she loved her boys. \u00a0She was so proud of them. \u00a0She talked about them constantly.\u00a0 She loved her husband, whom we had the privilege \u00a0of being the principal of the boys school.\u00a0 She was protective of him,\u00a0 fiercely protective of those she loved.<\/p>\n
Last night was the wake.\u00a0 What it really was was a glimpse of what heaven will feel like.\u00a0 A friend on Facebook said it was like coming home.\u00a0 The wake began at 6 pm, but there was already quite a line way before 6 and it went constant till 9 pm.\u00a0 It was a true testimony of what pillars of the community Ray and Doreen were, each in their own right.\u00a0 We saw people from Sammy’s JK\/SK days when we were newbies to the community.\u00a0 We saw teachers and friends from years gone by come and pay their respects.\u00a0 It was so beautiful.\u00a0 Our school always had a specialness about it especially in the years\u00a0past.\u00a0 It was so wonderful to\u00a0feel that again.<\/p>\n
The church was packed.\u00a0 I saw so many faces that I know Doreen had been part of\u00a0their story and heard of stories from year gone by.\u00a0 As wonderful as it is to know Doreen is at peace and no longer dealing with her\u00a0illness, there’s a huge part of me that can’t comprehend she is gone.\u00a0\u00a0She was always there.\u00a0 She always had a smile and hug ready.\u00a0 \u00a0She was a wealth of knowledge and great advice.\u00a0 Despite her being sick for a while, I guess I assumed she’d be there…. as she cheated death so many times. Until she wasn’t.\u00a0 Guess I will have to wait till we are reunited in heaven… and can say with no doubt that God is smiling as He looks at Doreen and says, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.”<\/p>\n
I miss you already, Doreen.\u00a0 Thank you for all you brought into my life.<\/p>\n
xoxo<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This week past I said goodbye to a friend. \u00a0She passed too young. And yet, she is free now of her body that rebelled against her. \u00a0I have found myself remembering just how much this friend impacted my life. \u00a0She … Continue reading