With Love

Today I wanted to share with readers about a wonderful person I know. Her name is Judy and she is one of my sisters. I admire her very much and she has been a great encouragement to me. Judy has been through many painful experiences in her life and right now, because of a fall at her place of employment several months ago, she is experiencing constant pain and sleepless nights. It's been very slow progress for her, for a multitude of reasons, but she perseveres. She has grown in her faith and willingly shares it with all, and even in her darkest, most painful times, has encouragement to share with me. There have been many times during the course of my illness when I have felt that there were an extreme minimum number of people who truly understood I was, and am, really ill and she is always in that group. Although she only lives about two and half hours from me, it's been several years since I have seen her because I can't travel and she isn't able to drive.

Thanks to her loving and faithful friend Michele, she is able to make short trips to the store; Michele has accompanied her to her doctor's visits and elsewhere, and has done so many things for her, that I think Michele is an honorary sister! Judy lives alone with her furry cat babies and I'm so happy to know that she has friends to come and visit with her.

Judy has an artistic side as well, with her camera. She has taken many wonderful nature photographs which exemplify the majesty of God and His creation. I was blessed to receive as a gift from her the framed photograph below, which has always been one of my favorites. It's a bit tricky to take a picture of something framed with glass but I hope you can see it well enough to enjoy it!

Foggy Morning On The Pond

(click for detail)

Can you see the spiderweb to the left of the old stump? It's fragile and gossamer looking next to the solidity of the stump. And the stump shows signs of new life, although it had been cut and left for dead, it didn't give up. At this time of year, as Christians contemplate the death and resurrection of our Lord Christ Jesus, it's a blessing to think how often we are encouraged by the lives of others who just don't give up, and who instead grow in grace and faith. That's my sister!

She always reads my blog postings (Lead On Lord is her sign in name) and so I know she will read this. 

This is for you, Judy, with love!

Rebecca