Inspiring

As I mentioned in my last post a close family friend passed away so Ella and I went to Wichita Falls for the services. I think to say a close family friend might be an understatement. My Mom and Dad have known Pat Walker and her husband Herschel for over thirty years. After struggling with cancer for 2-1/2 years, Pat went home to be with Jesus. I have known them all my life and always loved seeing them. Pat helped with my wedding shower, but wasn't able to make it to my baby shower because she was sick. When Ella was born though, my Mom and I took her to see Pat and we went and ate at the Olive Garden. We all ordered strawberry margaritas, or something like that, and had a good time visiting. Pat cried when she told me how beautiful Ella was and how proud she was of me and what I had become.

Her funeral was a celebration of her life. The pastor had known her for 40 years and told sweet stories of her and her husband who had been married for 59 years! Yes, 59! That alone is inspiring. I think the part that was so touching and so inspiring was this: the pastor quoted Philippians 1:21 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" or in the New Living Translation "For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better" and said this is how Pat lived her life. How amazing is that? He then specifically called out her grandchildren by name and told them to listen carefully, that their Grandmother had made a difference. Her life had touched so many people, especially women around her age who she had reached out to and mentored and encouraged, like my mother.


Everyone in that church knows Pat was a Christian, knows she is in Heaven. Her Jesus was so real to her and she made sure everyone around her knew that and knew HIM. Isn't that amazing? Don't you want people to remember you as encouraging, as inspiring, as having made a difference? Isn't it wonderful that her faith in Jesus Christ was so alive that it was contagious? I just can't think of anything better to say of someone after they have gone home to be with the Lord than that. When you see Jesus don't you want Him to say "Good Job!"?

To love the Lord and live your life serving Him and be recognized as having made a difference for that is truly inspiring to me.