Time To Remember

  I know that the next time you saw a new post here it was supposed it be featuring another adventure that I mentioned last time. However, when I woke up this morning and thought about it, it occurred to me that there was something else I wanted to put in its place, for now.

Today, even though it's another beautiful day in South Africa, my heart is at home, in Idaho.  The reason is that my friends and family will be together to remember a dear friend that is sleeping until Jehovah wakes her up. Let me just tell you a little bit about her, if you haven't met her yet.

I remember when my friend Leah moved to the town I grew up in, she was just tiny. I remember visiting her & her mom for the first time when they moved here. I'm 10 years older than her and I've know her for almost her whole life. Leah was born with some eye conditions that affected her all her life, making many tasks difficult or even out of reach in this system.  The wonderful thing about her though, is that she always smiled.  I never heard her complain about her eyes, or say "why me?" She carried on and did everything that she could to live "the best life ever." Leah was, along with her family, at our house all the time, or we at theirs. 

Leah & Me & (Part of Desi:) Erm, more than just a few years ago.

 We had frequent family dinners with her family, with BBQs, waffle nights, or my mom's spaghetti. I babysat her and her sister more times than I could count, we would have brown cinnamon pop tarts (her dad's favorite) for breakfast if it was a morning babysitting session. We are from a small town, and a small tight knit congregation, so we all grew up very close, and we were all like family.   Leah, along with many others in the congregation has been like a sister.  She loves Jehovah, his creation in the outdoors, and her family.  Leah is a pioneer, and a sterling example of love, patience, kindness and joy. In fact, as I read the scripture at Galations, I have to say that I think she showed all those qualities that are mentioned in verses 22&23.     

Some weeks ago Leah went to sleep, and she will rest until Jehovah God wakes her.  Because of this, her adventures are on hold for now. When she wakes up though, I imagine her joy, to know that the most outstanding adventure anyone could hope for is before her. Life on a paradise earth, the hope and future reality that all of Jehovah's people are so close to.  Until then, I will miss her.

What I normally write here is about the fun adventures we are having in our assignments. Serving Jehovah IS fun and he grants us many extra fun times along the way.  Whatever adventure we are on, we are always thinking of this person or that person that might like whatever we are currently seeing.  And it's the ones at home, that love us, that have supported us along the way, helping us sort out things, who are part of why we are able to be here right now. Along with adventures can come some challenges of course. One of which is being so far away from home when our loved ones are facing their own challenges.  Not being able to even give a hug to all of you that are together today to remember Leah is really hard.  Many of our dear friends have faced unimaginable heartache over the last months.  We want you all to know, that we do not forget you, we love you and we think of you daily.

I will be thinking of all of you when you are together today, my heart will be there. Give someone a hug for me. We send our love.

Desi & Me & Leah at Memorial just a few years back.