She will be greatly missed...

I received word this past weekend that a sweet friend in California had been called home to heaven. Karen was her 40's and had suffered from MS for many many years. Over the past few years, she also had inoperable ovarian cancer and just this summer the tumor ruptured sending the cancer throughout her frail body. I only knew Karen as a quadriplegic in a wheelchair, but Karen was unlike any person that I have ever met. She had such a kind and gentle spirit, was always smiling and NEVER EVER complained about anything. I had the privilege of helping to care for her once a week when my oldest daughter Bethany was almost a year old. I went on Friday mornings to help her to get dressed, brush her teeth and would sometimes help her wash her hair. I would also feed her her lunch. We read the Word together and prayed together. She always wanted to know what was going on in my life and how she could pray for me. Karen was always praying for people! She would have her helpers write notes of encouragement that she would dictate. She truly cared for those in her life. She also loved to scrapbook, a hobby that we both shared. I can remember some fun "girl nights" in which myself and several others would put together her photo albums. It was fun to see her pictures of years gone by, places that she and her husband had traveled to, family get-togethers etc. Karen taught me many things by her example. She taught me, for one, never to complain about my circumstances. Here was a person who could not do ANYTHING for herself, was completely dependent on another for every little thing. But I never heard her mutter a word of complaint about the life God had called her to live. She was a godly example of one who took what God gave her and served Him through it with all that she had. And it was not in vain. So many people have been ministered to spiritually by Karen, while they were with her administering to her basic needs. She gave us so much more than we gave her! I know that upon entering heaven she heard the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant!"

Please pray for her husband Eric and for her family. (Karen was born and raised in the same town that I now live in and most her family are now there in CA.) Eric has been her faithful husband and caregiver from day one. Karen was diagnosed with her disease not long after they were married. I can't imagine the loss that he feels at this time. This man hasn't slept a complete night in years, as he awakened several times a night to turn Karen in the bed. He loved her and stood by her through sickness and in health.

The services are scheduled for FRI and I know that many will attend. God will be honored and glorified as Karen's life is celebrated! I wish I could be there in person, but my thoughts will certainly be filled with her. I praise God for her complete healing and can picture her now, jumping and running throughout heaven, doing all the things that she couldn't do unassisted for so many years! I will miss her greatly but look forward to seeing her again, completely made whole!