Goodbye Viola

Ginger will be participating in a Breast Cancer Awareness event later this year. She is doing this to honor the memory of her good friend Viola, who lost that battle in December. Ginger expressed to me that she wanted to speak at Viola's memorial service but was not sure she could manage to do that. After much thought, she wrote a poem to Viola. This is what she wrote:

If love could have cured your illness

You wouldn't have been down a day.

I know that you weren't ready

We all prayed for you to stay.

 

They tell me that God has a bigger plan,

Though I don't know what it is.

What I do know is, that you are so loved,

And very dearly missed.

 

We will see each other again someday

I don't know the time or date.

What I hope is that you will hang around

And meet me at the Pearly Gates.

 

We will all find out one day, I think

When our day on earth is through

That Viola has painted the Pearly Gates pink

Just to show me and you.

 

So, until we meet again my friend

I will think of you every day.

And I will be so glad you are waiting there

With Jesus to show me the way.

 

Ginger is a Deacon in the Presbyterian Church that she and her family attend. Each year the Deacons are expected to write a "devotional" for the Lenten book. This year the subject is: THE LORD MADE ME LAUGH. This is Ginger's devotional:

 

THE LORD MADE ME CHUCKLE

The day was Sat. Jan. 5th 2013. My dear friend Viola was being put to rest after having lost her battle with cancer on Dec. 5th 2012. I really felt a "need" to speak at her service about how much we loved her and will miss her. However, I think I would rather eat live worms than stand and address a crowd. For a week or so, I wrote and wrote, 5 pages in all. There is no way I could stand and read 5 pages of words without crying and boring everyone to tears, no way. I instead decided to sum it up with a poem. I tried to practice reading aloud to Bobby and couldn't get past the 2nd stanza. For 3 days I prayed about this. I had sleepless nights, it really wore on me. I prayed for strength, I prayed for grace, I prayed for courage and a clear voice. I prayed for God to get me through it. On that day, the church was very full. Probably close to 200 people. The pastor started to ask if anyone wanted to speak. I stood up and as I grabbed the mic, "Oh God, please help me do this" I thought. The words flowed from my mouth like a rainbow. When I was done, I almost couldn't believe that I did it. I didn't even stammer. As I sat down, I chuckled and said to myself, "Wow, thank you God". That was the day God made me chuckle.

 

 

Thank you Ginger... that was beautiful. I love you, Mom