Spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below

with tiny lights like heaven’s stars reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular please wipe away that tear

for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear

but the sound of music can’t compare with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you of the joy their voices bring

for it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me; I see the pain inside your heart

for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I can’t tell you of the splendor or the peace here in this place

can you just imagine Christmas with our Savior face to face?

I’ll ask Him to lift your spirit as I tell Him of your love

so then pray for one another as you lift your eyes above.

Please let your hearts be joyful and let your spirit sing

for I am spending Christmas in heaven and I’m walking with the King.

                                               - Wanda Bencke

Thankful!

Early Tuesday morning my Dad passed away in his sleep. It was the exit he would have wanted. From the moment I received the call from my sister an overwhelming sense of thankfulness began filling my heart. As I drove to the Memory Care center I kept thanking God that He took Dad the way He did.

I stayed with my Dad and talked with him. I kissed his forehead and held his hands. I remembered. I smiled. I prayed. I was present.

A few years ago our family started Memory Jars. When we had a life event we wanted to always remember we put a memento in our Memory Jar. Then each Thanksgiving morning I pull everything out and sift through the memories to be thankful.

Going through my Memory Jar this morning I found tickets to TU football games. LOTS of tickets to TU football games with my Dad. The first game we went to when I moved back to Tulsa from North Carolina; TU vs. Boise State, we lost. The last TU game we went to was TU vs. UTSA in November 2013.

I have also kept handwritten notes from my Dad. I got T-boned in a parking lot and he left a note saying, “I fix cars cheap – call me! BWF” Another one, “Thanks for the cold Pepsi! Such a large Pepsi!”

My Dad suffered from dementia, he was a paint and body man for many years. He still recognized us when we visited but couldn’t remember our names. I could be his wife, daughter or mother on any given day. He kept his sense of humor. Whenever one of the residents would rant and rave, he would look at them, shake his head and say, “She’s nuts.”

Each time I visited him before I left I asked him if I could pray for him.  He would say, “Why sure,” most of the time.  The last time I asked him if I could pray, he bowed his head and I prayed, “Father keep him safe and take him when You’re ready.” Then he clapped his hands and patted my cheek.

For the last month or so, he loved to sit in his wheelchair in front of a glass door in the TV room. The sun would be brightly shining and he would shade his eyes and watch the cars go by.

Last Saturday we were delivering turkeys to families and one family lived behind the nursing home where Dad was. As I approached I told the volunteers with me, “We’re gonna drive by a door and my Dad will be sitting there…so we need to wave!”

They didn’t believe me.

We rounded the corner and there was Dad. We waved and laughed and smiled and he saw us. Oh the joy on his face! He waved with both hands, squinted, covered his eyes, waved and smiled and bounced…I could hear his laughter in my heart. We made our delivery and they said, “You have to drive by your Dad again.” I did and my Dad was waving with gusto! So were we.

So much to be thankful for. 

I believe with every death is a new beginning. Today when you sit around your dinner table…look at everyone there and look into your heart. Does your family need forgiveness? Do you need to wrap your arms around someone and tell them that you love them? Are you taking your life for granted?

Tomorrow is not promised.

Is it time you shared your testimony to proclaim what Jesus has done in your life? Does your heart have a God shaped void in it? Now is the time for new beginnings.

I stayed by my Dad’s bedside waiting on the cremation society to come get him. Staff came in to hug my neck and I kept wondering, how do I do this? How do I lose my Dad?

Then God reminded me, each time we have an emergency at the clinic – I walk beside the person until an ambulance takes them away. He said, “Walk with him.”  So I did. I walked behind the gurney that held my Dad all the way to the hearse. It was 6:39am when I said good-bye one last time.

“Give thanks to the Lord…Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!” 1 Chronicles 16: 8,10

Our family will gather in the spring to take a fishing trip to remember him and spread his ashes.  We are going to honor his memory by establishing an annual event through my ministry, Isaiah 58, In His service. Maybe by providing a day of fishing to underprivileged kids, he would love that since he taught his daughters and grandsons how to fish! All memorials given to Isaiah 58, In His service  PO Box 521063  Tulsa OK 74152 will go towards this event.

In His service, deni

 

 

It's Enough

“Deni to pharmacy!!”

I get there and one of my guys is so drunk, he’s not making any sense and he’s getting hostile.

I sigh. I start to pray. I escort him out.

He falls onto the grass and he’s drooling and has something smeared all over his face. I look at him and I start to tear up. Why? Why can’t he see himself the way God does.

“Deni to the front desk.”

I get there and she’s shaking, she’s filthy and she begins to scream. I escort her to my office. She said she shot up crystal meth again yesterday and if she doesn’t get help, she’s gonna cut her wrists.

I pray, Father meet me here.

She has burned every bridge more than once. I try calling her sister and as soon as I say her name, her sister hangs up on me. I load her up in the van and take her to the crisis center for an evaluation.

“Deni to the parking lot.”

Her eye is black again and her jaw is wired shut. We walk to my office. He said he was sorry. He said he wouldn’t get drunk again. He gave her some chocolate. She believed him again. She thinks she deserves it and he’s the best she can do.

I sink in my chair and start to pray.

My phone rings.

She tells me her landlord is threatening eviction. She’s a Mom of 5 kids. She just had surgery and now her youngest son has pneumonia and she’s by his bedside in the hospital. She’s a cook and when she doesn’t work she doesn’t get paid. She is crying and she is exhausted.

I close my eyes and start to pray.

My phone vibrates. It’s a text.

She’s the primary caregiver for her Dad. His social security check got lost in the mail. Now they’re two months behind in rent. The water is shut off. Her special needs child just bit a kid at school so they suspended him. She can’t go to work because she can’t leave her son with her Dad because her Dad doesn’t remember him. She’s begging for help.

I catch my breath and begin to pray.  What am I doing wrong? Why aren’t these people getting better? No one ever listens to me. There are so many. Does anything I do really matter? I feel so alone sometimes. Is this really where You want me Father?

“Deni to the nurse’s station.”

 I get close to the exam room and I hear her. She’s yelling, crying, cursing. I open the door and she starts in on me.  I know her. We’ve talked before.

She points at me, “No, no, no. I’m never getting better. I can’t do anything I used to. The doctors wants to send me for tests but no, no, no….” She sobs and catches her breath and starts in again.

“I sit all day and do nothing. My hand is dead. My life is useless. I can’t, I won’t do this anymore. You all lie…nothing, NOTHING is getting better…I hate this, I hate all of you…”

She is talking about moving to Oregon so she can get a doctor to, “Really help me…he’ll kill me, no questions asked.” She gets up to walk out more than once.  The last time she gets up, I pick up her purse and ask her if I can walk with her. She pulls away as I try to help, she continues crying and cursing and resisting…

She has a rollator and getting up was difficult, she almost lost her balance. She said her husband is in the lobby and we’ll walk right by my office.  She just wants out of here.

She talks about the pain and the loneliness. She talks about how she feels God has abandoned her. She wants to know why He didn’t take her after her stroke. She said He’s mean for making her stay on earth in the condition she’s in. She says her home is like a torture chamber. All of the things she’s made and all of the things left unfinished are all over her house. “I can’t stand to see what I can’t do anymore.”

We get to my office; I open the door and guide her in. She sits and continues venting, and crying and suffering…I listen.

After an hour, she starts to slow down. She is getting tired and she looks at me. I smile. I ask her to tell me one good thing that has happened in the past week. She received a thank you card. Her face brightens just a bit.

She reminds me of all the things she has made and given away. She made baby booties for a little boy and he is now 16 years old. She said she was in a store and the Mom saw her and came over to introduce her son. “I couldn’t believe it! He was so handsome and do you know, he still has those booties?? After all these years, they kept something I made.” She became tearful and thankful. She was softening, she doesn’t want to be so angry.

She said she can use her left hand after she “warms it up,” and she can still make a few things. She has to rest more than she used to. I tell her about Isaiah 58, In His service and tell her we’ve adopted some families in an apartment complex for Christmas. I ask her if she would be willing to make something to give them.

Oh, my gosh, she smiled! She wants to try to make stocking caps. I ask her to make a list of what she needs and we will provide. Her mind is flooded with memories. She has a spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe she can make something even now that can make a lasting memory for someone less fortunate than her.

Maybe God hasn’t abandoned her after all. I ask if I can pray for her. She reaches for my hand and bows her head… 

I walk her and her husband out and I’m paged again…

It’s enough, that’s all I need to be reminded that I am exactly where God wants me. My income, home, car, life, ministry they are His.  I pray to stay out of His way. I pray to see transformed lives; not only those who meet Him for the first time, I love to see seasoned Christians serve Him with reckless abandon! The heavens sing when the prodigal son returns. How cool is it that He wants to use someone like me? I know we are planting seeds. I also know that I won’t see the harvest of all of these seeds, but that’s okay.  Yet, I know I still have so much to learn…

Thank you for walking this walk with me.

In 1 John 2:6 it says, “Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”  I don’t know what that looks like each morning I get out of bed. I just know each day I pray for the courage to walk as Jesus did – just for today.  I long to be a tiny part of whatever He is doing.

“Jesus was continually saying to those around Him, “Don’t be afraid.” He understood that in this world no one is safe.  We all take risks every day – the issue is, what risks are we willing to take. Following Jesus is risky. He told His disciples in Matthew 10, “If you come after Me, nothing you own is safe, including you.”  When we follow the rule-violating, religion-threatening, category-breaking Jesus, our lives are always in jeopardy.

“The Christian life is more than finding Jesus – it is following Jesus. Following, it turns out, is not a one-time, spectacular act of faith, but a one-day-at-a-time, ordinary, unspectacular following: a daily act of fearlessness that takes us through the most frightening and rugged terrain to a place of peace, joy and abandon.

“Those who follow Christ with abandon are quietly fearless. They face the most difficult circumstances with determination and constancy regardless of whether they receive recognition or encouragement.

“What is it you and I are afraid to abandon? Our comfort? Our schedules? Our careers? Our money? Our possessions? Our security? Our theology? Our need for certainty? Our fear of making a mistake? Our parents’ expectations?

“If only the rich young ruler had abandoned his riches, he could have discovered the richness of following Jesus.

“If only the Pharisees could have abandoned their rules, they could have spent every day basking in the love of the Rule Maker.

“If only Pilate could have abandoned his power, he would have found the real power of brokenness and humility.

“So what do you say? Let’s become like children again, break away from the rule keepers, and make a run for Jesus.”  From the book Dangerous Wonder: The adventure of Childlike Faith by Michael Yaconelli

In His service, d 

In Memory....Miss You Buddy

Most Saturdays for the past two years, Lonnell would, without hesitation go with me to minister. We would go pick up donations and then deliver them to folks God put on our hearts.

Often during the day he would point out places he used to work - roofing houses, driving a cab - and people. He knew almost everyone. He would constantly have me pull over so he could have a reunion with someone. Many times, however, the person wasn't who he thought they were...so he asked them if they needed anything. He would point to me, in the van, and say, "That's Sister Love and she can help you..." Then we would buy food for them or take them where they needed to go and pray for them.

Many times I was pooped and I'd pick him up at Sally's and he'd say, "Good morning deni. Let our Father God in Heaven give us grace to understand the knowledge of His Word to become Wise to help those that need to be helped in the name of The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Even though the evil of man's law tell us not to do so. As Moses did for the sake of mercy for one's life. Amen."  Then he would flash that Lonnell smile and off we would go. I was renewed and tried to keep up with him.

He could fit more pieces of furniture in our ministry van than I thought possible. When I doubted they would ever come out for delivery...he easily removed everything without any damage...and give me a look that challenged my lack of faith.

He was also my navigator. He would get us anywhere in north Tulsa, Jenks, Glenpool, Sand Springs and all over Tulsa without a map or GPS. He was my body guard at times as well. I approached a guy who was under the influence and he started talkin' smack to me. Lonnell got out of the van and said, "You okay sister love?" The guy immediately backed down and asked me to pray for him. :-)

He loved to pray for people. We would hold the hands of those who donated and those who God blessed with our giving...and he would pray. He knew that the Father was pleased when he prayed and he nodded as if he felt Jesus patting him on the back.

He loved to sing and dance while we rambled down the road. He could play drums on his leg and he would sing songs I thought I knew...but they sounded different. He would always tell me his version was better. When we would be called to help someone neither of us knew...his joy was childlike. He thought it was so much fun to serve Jesus!

He loved to eat. Every Saturday we journeyed for Jesus there was an inevitable stop at Taco Bueno, Quik Trip and more often than not Church's Chicken. The last Saturday we journeyed together he ate a hot dog covered in relish and a bag of peanut brittle. When I would challenge his food choices he would tell me, "There is lettuce and tomatoes...vegetables...on my taco." Grin.

Many Sunday mornings he would be standing at the bus stop by Sally's waiting on me to pick him up for church. He always greeted everyone in the van when he got in. Then after church he would ride around with me, while I took everyone home. There would always be a stop at his storage unit and at Quik Trip. Then he would want to be dropped off at the bus station. "It's a good place to let the love of Jesus shine."

Luke 10, Isaiah 58, In His service, First Baptist Church Tulsa, Indian Health Care Resource Center and everyone who knew Lonnell, are missing an incredible servant of Jesus. 

"We are His daughters and sons / We are the colorful ones / We are the kids of the King / Rejoice in everything / My colors grow so dim / When I start to fall away from Him / But up comes the strongest wind / That He sends to blow me back into His arms again / And then the colors fall around my feet / Over those I meet / Changing all the gray that I see / Rainbow colors of the risen Son / Reflect the One / The One who came to set us all free." Stained Glass by Keith Green

I miss you buddy. 
In His service, d
The following link is our ministry video with Lonnell.


https://youtu.be/lNYEYXFKhr4

LOVE GOES...Holy Spirit!

There is a restaurant owner in the eastern US who has been in business a long time. He's been running his restaurant like everyone else runs their restaurants and it's been 'fine.' He's had good months, not so good months and bad months. Overall it was just average, and he was okay with that. But, as time went by he began yearning for more. He called out to God and asked Him how he could be reckless for Jesus! He didn't want to play it safe anymore.

He sensed that God told him to take the menu prices off the menu! Needless to say he was a little shocked at first. But he got what he prayed for...a radical call for obedience to burst out of the lukewarm and into the fire!  He loves Jesus and he prayed for the Holy Spirit to come boldly into his life and his world...

so he took the menu prices off the menu.

Since then his profit margin has grown exponentially. More importantly, he has fed people who would never have been fed before because of the cost. He also lives day to day trusting Jesus, wholly and completely.

"When someone is on fire with the love of God - they love the Word and love to pray - the next thing you know, people around them are inspired to do the same."  Jim Cymbala

God has put a burden on the heart of a single Mom and her four children to add another child to their family.  A five year old from Kenya.  The Mom's 16 year old daughter recently went on a mission trip to Kenya and fell in love with a little girl.  While the 16 year old was still in Kenya, the Holy Spirit began to stir the heart of the Mom about growing their family. Everything about this adoption is impossible. Africa is closed to US adoptions.  The village the little girl lives in is extremely difficult to get to.  The man who helps the village where the little girl lives, is pivotal to supporting this adoption, but he doesn't believe in outside adoptions. But, the Holy Spirit is whispering "possible" to this family.  We are praying in agreement for God to push a mountain into the sea so this family can grow by one.

Testimony of a Christ follower...in her words

"Recently I had decided to leave town for awhile. And spent about three weeks in another city about 19 hours from Tulsa.  When it was time to come home I had went down to the Greyhound bus terminal to purchase my ticket.  The woman at the counter told me it would cost $142.50 for my ticket plus a $2.50 service charge bringing the total to $145.00 even. No sooner had I walked away with my ticket in hand when the female security guard asked me where I was going and when I would board the bus.  I told her my bus would leave the next morning and it was around 6pm at the time. She told me I couldn't stay at the bus terminal even though I had a ticket and made me leave the property. Others were being asked to leave also.  I had told her because of circumstances I wasn't able to return where I had been staying.  But I was told to leave anyway and didn't know where I would go for the night.  I was a little upset and decided to walk down to this church I had passed earlier on  my way to the bus terminal.

"I felt safe in the area as people were going in and out of the church buildings around me.  As the evening wore on and church let out, two young women were crossing the street when one of them stopped and turned to look right at me.  Her and her friend came over to me and began to witness to me about Jesus.  Little did they know at the time that I had started praying for God to help me earlier on.  I told them I was a Christian and explained why I had a suitcase and other bags with me and what had happened at the Greyhound terminal. The lady with the one I was talking to bent down and said something to her and she shook her head yes. Then off she went to do something I didn't know about. 

"Me and this lovely young Christian girl sat there talking about God.  When suddenly her husband walked up and said, "We want to bless you.' And handed me some money. You can imagine how I'm feeling at this point.  Knowing that my sweet, wonderful Savior had sent this awesome Christian couple to make provision for me.  Not only did they show me the love of God by taking the time and making the effort to help me. But, they also took me to their home and let me stay the night. Amen!

"Before I turned in for the night, I remembered the money I had put in my jacket pocket.  And so as not to lose it I took it out and went to put it in my purse.  What do you know, it was $145.00 exactly, the price of my ticket.  I felt overwhelmed and in awe of this wonderful man called Jesus. I laid there for awhile that night praising God and thanking Him for His loving kindness and provision in my time of need. Still feeling a little unsure of what may lie ahead, but not speaking of it to my gracious host.  We were at the breakfast table the next morning and she pulls out her Bible and turns to a random page.  And her eyes fell on Psalm 91 which she began to read to me.  Once again I was overwhelmed with God's presence and the words of comfort being spoken to me from His holy word.

"My God is an awesome God indeed.  I left this couple's house that morning knowing that God was on the scene and feeling so uplifted by the turn of events.  What the devil had meant for bad and to crush me. God had turned around for good. Not only was I affected deeply by the events that unfolded, but so were these three young people seeing the hand of God at work in all of this.  They would go on to church to testify of God's awesome love and provision that lonely night in a city far from home.

"Psalm 91 will forever be with me now.  As I have experienced it first hand, I had told my friend, how much I appreciated all she and her husband and friend had done for me when she was taking me to the bus station.

"I had told her I would probably stay in a motel for a couple of days when I got back to Tulsa.  Until I knew what steps to take next.  When I got to the motel here in Tulsa and went to check in I was told the cost had went up. And the new amount would be $145.00. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

"I'm back home now and will never forget that night and the people God sent to rescue me.  A couple days after returning home I saw a message on a woman's shirt. It simply said, `Jesus has your back,' and He really does you know. He has our back, you can trust Him at all times.  He will never leave or forsake you, of this I'm sure. Praise God."

From the book, Spirit Rising by Jim Cymbala

""The minister from Pakistan just called. There's a problem now in his city." "What's wrong?" I asked. 

"At the five o'clock Muslim call to prayer, something set them off.  Now they're shouting, `Death to the Christians! Burn their houses down. Death to the Christians!' He's really concerned.'

`Okay, I am going to pray tonight. You pray too, Steve. What else can we do? Let's just pray.'

So I prayed that night.

Before each of our three services, (Brooklyn Tabernacle Church) I always meet with the Prayer Band.  They are a group of committed believers who pray with me and then gather together in a room to intercede for the attendees in each service.  Our first Sunday service started at nine o'clock, and by the time I finished praying with the Prayer Band, the meeting had already started. I pushed the button for the elevator to go down to the sanctuary, and when it opened, Steve was in the elevator. he held his cell phone, and I could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong.

`He just called again.  The situation's worse.  He's up on the rooftop with his wife and children and some of the local Christians.  There are thousands of people in the square chanting.  `Death to the Christians!' I can hear the fear in his voice and the chanting mob in the background, so I know what he's saying is true.'

I felt as if I'd taken a punch and the air had been knocked out of me.  I didn't know what to do.  I got into the elevator, and we headed down.  As we walked into the sanctuary, the congregation was singing and praising God.  When the song ended, I interrupted and told the congregation, `We're going to get back to worshipping God in a moment, but right now there is an emergency situation we have to pray about.'

I told the church what I knew.  As I relayed the critical situation, my heart burst as I thought about parents and children hiding out on the roof from the crowd below.  Then I broke down as I thought of what it would be like to be up there with my children and grandchildren. Overcome by emotion, I asked our worship leader Onaje to lead the church in prayer.  Suddenly a chorus of cries went up to God on behalf of the Pakistani believers.  It was just like what occurred in the book of Acts: `They raised their voices together in prayer to God' (4:24).

Later, at the end of a long day, I spoke to Steve and asked what happened.

`You won't believe this,' he said. `The pastor called me back.'

'He's okay?' I was thrilled. The situation had been so dire.

'As they were on the rooftop, some clouds came out of nowhere.  It got dark and started to rain, but not just rain, a torrential downpour.  It rained so hard it dispersed the crowd! Everyone was safe, and they were able to get off the roof and return to their homes.'

'Oh, thank you, Jesus! Praise God!' I couldn't wait to tell the church.  God rescued the man, his family, and the other local Christians through the prayers of His people half a world away.  Didn't God promise that praying to Him in faith would bring answers from Heaven?

The Holy Spirit was working in Pakistan, protecting those believers from the mob.  But at the same time, the Holy Spirit was also moving among the people of our church, helping them to pray fervently and with a bold faith that only God could give."

"Through the Holy Spirit, God has promised to give us courage, and even boldness, to swim against the current." Jim Cymbala

Isn't it time we take the menu prices off our lives

and our churches!

In His service, d

Through the Eyes of a 14 Year Old!

WHAT HEAVEN LOOKS LIKE…….

It is hard to imagine a place so grand and perfect but one does exist.  High up above where the Lord sits upon His throne. A place called Heaven….

You will enter through enormous golden gates where Jesus waits to greet you!  Then He will give you the grand tour of all of Heaven.

Noah’s Ark will sit on top of the many mountains.  You can go and hear from Noah himself all about the Ark and the journey God sent him on.  The twelve disciples will be in the golden villages having discussion with everybody who wants to hear about their adventures with Jesus!  There will be glorious gardens and waterfalls and the Angels will fly all around them singing.  Animals will be running free everywhere! You could even have a pet lion or elephant if you wanted.  The pets that you lost as a child will be up there waiting for you to play.

I see a free hug line formed in front of Jesus! God’s throne will be on the highest mountain looking down on everyone and smiling. In the evenings there will be a great big worship concerts.  We’ll all gather on God’s mountain and sing praises to Him.  In Heaven we will have cloud races! You can ride clouds all you want. In Heaven you can meet anyone you want and talk to God as much as you want!  There’s no need for birthday parties because every day will be a celebration with Jesus!

This what Heaven looks like for me, and I know that it is going to be AMAZING!

Sarah age 14yrs - 2015

How cool is this? d

Remembering Rosa...

One year ago, on August 03, 2014 we lost a little one. Rosa Medrano died at the age of 3. Her Mom and big brothers continue to struggle with the grief. With permission below is Rosa’s eulogy given by her Pediatrician, Dr. Shea Bowling. In honor of Sally, Jesse and Tata and in memory of Rosa who is now healed and dancing in the fields with Jesus…let us not forget and let us live in hope! d

“I am honored and humbled to share with you the life of Rosa Medrano.  To share with you the joy and the anguish that surrounds these last days.  I was privileged to be part of the team who cared for Rosa medically.

In the small things I was able to help with, Rosa and her family helped me and many others in great things.  I am grateful to God, Sally and her family for allowing me to share in this precious life. We come to days like these with mixed emotions and thoughts – sadness, anguish, anger, confusion – we want to know why and to see the purpose in everything – we doubt, we have questions – why this sweet little girl is taken and others get to stay.

What words can be spoken to soothe broken hearts.  To bring hope, healing, and peace – a reason to go on.

I looked for some poem or song, something profound…the only word that comes is JESUS.

As I thought about the truth of this that Jesus is our hope, our understanding, the answer to all our confusion and questions, all our deep hurts and longings.  I smiled and began to think of Rosa’s arrival in Heaven.

I saw her skipping and twirling in green tall grass in a beautiful, long white dress with a big bow in the back, barefoot with her long flowing curly coal black hair glistening in the sun.  She arrives to a host of ancestors who have waited to meet her and rejoice at her arrival.  They talk as if they have always known each other, and then in the field out in the open, she spots Jesus waiting. She giggles and runs into His arms.  He gives her the biggest hug and twirls her around.  He gently kisses her cheek, brushing her hair from her face.  They walk hand in hand to the stream and sit down on the bank. Rosa begins to point at all the creatures she sees and talks to Jesus about them.  As she delights, Jesus turns and says, `Rosa I love you so much! I am so glad to see you, welcome home my good and faithful servant.’ You see Rosa was God’s real life example of His unconditional love.

As you know while Rosa was in her earthly body, she did not get to walk or talk or giggle.  But no matter, Rosa accomplished more in the 3 years of her life than most of us will our whole life.  Rosa is a picture for us to see of the love that Jesus has for us.  A love that is unconditional and forever.  You see Rosa was just like any other little girl.  She liked her nails done but she liked mama best! She would be ornery with new nurses and breathe against her ventilator just to get her Mom in the room.  She enjoyed her brother’s announcements of how much they loved her.  She hated the hospital and was always glad to come home.  She looked pretty in pink, loved Dora and stuffed animals.

Rosa lived in a broken body while on this earth but never a broken spirit.  Some would look in and feel sorry for her family and think all a burden.  They think why did this have to happen?  But I will tell you that her family counted every day as a gift.  Jonita said it best, `I am grateful for you Sally for taking such good care of her and grateful to God for every day we got to have with her.’ The best picture I know on earth that helps me begin to understand the greatness of God’s love for us is a mother’s love for her child.  This is the gift of Rosa straight from God to this family and the gift of seeing God’s love in watching this family love her.  Jonita spoke what all in Rosa’s family feel in their hearts – I love Rosa and I would give my life for hers.  I love all of my family and would die for any of them.  What is love, if not this?  Jesus said greater love hath no man than to lay down one’s life for another.  We talk about love and long for it.  We think we find it. Paul describes love to the Corinthians in this way, `Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about the injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.’ (1 Corinthians 13: 4-7)

Rosa’s family demonstrated every word of Love as they cared for and gave up much to experience the deeper joy of loving Rosa.  I saw Sally go without sleep for days, miss meals, holidays, and hot showers so she could be there to care for Rosa.  I saw brothers thrilled that their sister got a new room, never jealous or upset that their Mama needed to be with Rosa.  I saw Aunts willing to give up everything to help Rosa and love on their sister Sally.  Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandmas, Brothers, and Sisters all there to love Rosa – no matter what.  We knew when Rosa was just an infant that her days on earth would be short and difficult, but Sally and her family would never have missed a day to be with her.  I think this poem I heard sums it up best, Child of Mine (Edward Albert Guest)

 Child of Mine

I’ll lend you for a little time

A child of mine. He said,

For you to love while she lives

and mourn when she is gone.

It may be six of seven years

or twenty-two or three,

But will you, till I call her back,

Take care of her for me?

She’ll bring her charms to gladden you,

but should her stay be brief,

You’ll have her lovely memories,

as solace for your grief.

I cannot promise she will stay,

since all from earth return,

But there are lessons taught down there

I want this child to learn.

I’ve looked the wide world over

In my search for teachers true

and from the throngs that crowd life’s lanes

I have selected you

Now will you give her all your love,

Nor think the labor vain,

Nor hate Me when I come to call

To take her back again?

I fancied that I heard them say:

Dear Lord, Thy will be done!

For all the joy Thy Child shall bring

the risk of grief we’ll run.

We’ll shelter her with tenderness;

We’ll love her while we may,

and for happiness we’ve known

Forever grateful stay.

But should angels call for her

much sooner than we planned

we’ll brace the bitter grief that comes and try to understand.

Love when it is real is full of joy and deep anguish.  Mary was blessed to be the mother of Jesus to know and love Jesus as His mother – what a privilege!  But, her very heart was pierced when He died on a cross but again lifted to highest heights when He rose from the dead.  Our hearts rejoice in the life and gift of Rosa and our hearts are pierced as she leaves us…but this is not it. Jesus said I have come that you might have eternal life.  He told the disciples to be quiet and let the children come unto Me and He blessed them.  He said unless you come as a little child you cannot enter My kingdom.  Rosa is laughing, running, twirling, smelling flowers and riding horses with Jesus in Heaven.  She showed us the great and unending love of God for all of us.  God loved Sally and her family so much that He sent Rosa for a little while to show us love – to be a picture to you of His great love.

God loved us so much that He sent His son Jesus to be our hope, our peace, our reason to get up tomorrow and keep going – keep loving on this earth until we enter His perfect peace and rest in Heaven.

Jesus tells us in John 6 all that is required for this eternal life is to, `Believe in Me. Believe that I love you so much I gave up Heaven, lived on earth that you might see God’s love in a living human being, I died on a cross to rescue you from the evil that has taken life and hope from you.  All you have to do to enter…is believe in Me.  Believe, I am God’s son.’ Jesus says, `Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light.’

Rosa’s very life has brought all of us together from all walks of life to be a picture of God’s love on this earth.  In three short years she accomplished this and has been received into Jesus’ arms and lives forever in a perfect beautiful new body!!  What shall we do with the days we have left? Will we spend it with Jesus loving or will we spend it without hope, comfort or peace?

Annie Dillard said, `You do not have to sit outside in the dark, if however you want to look at the stars, you will find that the darkness is necessary.  But the stars neither require nor demand it.’ True love is sometimes wrapped in sorrow (darkness) as we say goodbye but, will we run from the dark and difficult and risk missing the beautiful stars – the moments, the memories, the lives that we experience when we know love?  Jesus waits to love us all, to comfort us, to give us peace, will we run into His arms….

Let us celebrate that Rosa is home with Jesus, whole and perfect. She waits with Jesus to welcome us in Heaven. “