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| 1963-2011 (Age 48) |
As the news came to me yesterday of your death. It occurred to me, as the tears came from my eyes, how much you meant to me. I wished for one more chance to speak with you, hug your neck and tell you how special you were.
My childhood memories are filled with happy times we shared. Like the time you let me steer while you rode me on your motorcycle. I remember when we wrecked in the back yard and you just picked us both up and we kept on riding.
I remember you taking Venita and I swimming, shopping and giving us our own 16oz glass bottle of Pepsi, as if we were grown.
You were a great babysitter! You looked for ways to have fun and even told my parents how good I had been even when I acted contrary.
I remember when you moved to the house next to ours and I bugged you to know end by continually wanting to come over and play Foosball, watch TV and eat all your food.
You loved to talk...and listening to your funny stories and hearing your laugh made me feel at home.
You were one of the most caring people I knew. You believed the best in others. You persevered through the pain and you NEVER gave up.
I remember hearing you speak about how much you desired for your children to know the Lord and to live for Him. You made continual efforts to see them attend summer youth camps. Your kids were dear to your heart and God will hold them in His arms today.
You never claimed to be perfect. In fact, it was through your struggles that you gained a better perspective of God's grace in your life and how to extend grace to others.
I witnessed how you dealt with the pain that life can bring with determination and resolve.
If anyone could testify of God's love...you could. You had experienced His unconditional love in your life. It is that love that is holding you now.
I wish you weren't gone. It's almost unreal. But my heart tells me that you'll always be with me and in time our family will heal.
You are now free from pain,
in a land where children never grow old and roses never fade.
I will see you again in that perfect place above,
and together we will enjoy God's never ending love.
and together we will enjoy God's never ending love.
I won't question the sovereign hand of God, or His choice to take you now.
I will continue to believe His ways are best and find courage in this...somehow.
I don't need to understand or know the reason why.
I'm trusting God, that in exchange for this heartache, I will find peace in abundant supply.
Peace comes from knowing that Jesus Himself faced trials too,
And yet He overcame pain and sorrow to prove His love so true.
Death could not hold Him down and the grave could not prevail.
He rose above it all and His promise to us will not fail.
He is here with us now, to comfort, strengthen and guide.
I choose to trust His Word and in Him alone abide.
When He cannot seemed to be traced,
even in death we can trust His grace.
So I'll keep walking and yielding to His control,
and He'll keep working things out...for the good of my soul.
I truly do not understand....but I know somehow...
even this is part of His plan.
Penny...you remain in our heart and we will speak of you, not in tears, but with laughter and joy as if you are still here. There were many things I'm sure we wish we could have said but to live in regret is not what you would want. We will see you again at the big reunion in Heaven!
Thank you for being you!
Your cousin,
Russell