Another Loss

Thursday afternoon came the news of another loss of a friend. This one hurts much more than the loss of my ex-future father-in-law, this time it was a a woman whom in my mind ranks amongst the greats of Christianity. And remember, to be great, you must be the absolute least amongst the saints.

When I first stumbled upon this church, one extremely cold December's day in 1991, there was this woman. She instantly commanded my attention because a: she had the most awesome head of hair I have seen on any woman and before that b: she possessed a spirit of complete dedication to the Lord. Across random visits to this area I got to know her and her family better, ex-missionaries, hard workers in the local church, a life of hardship for which there was no bitterness what-so-ever. I was, and have remained, in awe of her across 21 years of knowing her and her family. The church lost quite a witness today.

When I brought my children to Seattle for US Immigration and Naturalization, her husband gave a Russian Bible to my oldest, whom could read. It thrilled her no end to actually possess a Bible much less to read about what she had heard of at monthly missionary visits to her orphanage on the Chechen border. That is the kind of people they were - in tune with God and willing to serve, they did not know I would be town on that Sunday with Russian children. Yeah, God is quite awesome.

I would say more. I owe it to her to do so, but on the off chance daughter is still reading this blog, I do not want to further stress her out. Yeah, I know that is cryptic, but even if she hates me, I will do what I can to protect her mind. Because something about Em - would click a memory in Yesfir's mind, of something I said she should not not have known about. Well, that ought to keep her guessing.....

Daughter, if you are at the memorial and I see you, can we talk - civilly to one another?