I Still Miss My Friend

Sunday was a beautiful day. I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Easter! I was surrounded by family, so it was a great day for me. I attended my first sunrise service over at Mt. Gilead, our little country church. I'd assumed it would be outside, but it was in the worship chapel. Seventeen of us enjoyed a wonderful Easter sermon about our risen Lord and then we got to sing our favorite hymns. Always a good thing. We ventured outside at the end of the service, around 8:00, and the sun was just peeking over the three crosses on top of the hill behind our church. After a dreary, rainy, even stormy Good Friday, having the beautiful sunlight on Easter morning was, indeed, uplifting. What a special day!!!

I was reminded of a dear friend a couple weeks ago while watching CMT. One of the new music videos was one that I had heard of, by Alan Jackson. I previously heard him discuss this song,that he had written, after a close family friend and emplyee, had passed away. It really shook him and his family to their core, as this young woman was in their home on a daily basis, sharing their lives, so to speak. After she was killed in a motorcycle accident, Alan just couldn't make any sense of it. As a musician and songwriter, he put pen to paper and a beautiful tribute poured out. Initially, he only meant this to be for her family, but, I believe, at the urging of her family, he has included it on his latest album and made it into a music video. I hope you'll get the chance to hear "Sissy's Song".

When I heard it the first time, I immediately began to think of my friend, Lynn. She was a good friend ,who I knew for many years. We had our ups and downs, as friendships do, but we ended on a wonderfully high note, sharing our love of quilting. In 2003, we had travelled to Paducah to attend the AQS Annual Quilt Show and Contest. We had a great time and were looking forward to April 2004 to head back to Paducah, wanting to make it an annual trek. Well, she wasn't doing so well as the month of April 2004 came around. She had been fighting cancer for a while and it seemed to be taking it's toll.

As I was making a visit to Lexington to visit family, I mentioned to her that I'd be buying a book for my son about "what to do with my life". She asked me to pick up one for her and her daughter, as well. She figured because cancer had dealt her a severe hit, she would need to find a new career for her life, as she believed she would now be physically limited. Once back, with the book, I was unable to reach her at home. Christina called later that day, to let me know the sad news. So, now, five years to the day of losing our dear "daughter, wife and mother" and friend, it is nice to have a beautiful song to give us comfort and continued healing. And as I continue to work on my upcoming high school reunion, I can continue to look forward to that wonderful reunion in heaven, when I can see my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, my friend Lynn, and so many others. I hope you have a great day, luv, Susan