Monday, April 25, 2011

Dearest God,

I had wanted to have Caroline and Johna to dinner before we left for Maine but I just did not see an open time to do it. But you brought the gift to us when they came to church for Easter and my husband invited them to join our family for Easter dinner.

As I worked in the kitchen I could hear Harold, Caroline, and Johna talking. I remembered back, a little girl who used to come into my church office and write messages on my black board. She called me Strange Lady and I called her Strange Girl. For ten years we wrote silly messages to one another. I watched her grow up.

Johna has a wonderful smile. She is an incredibly talented violinist wanting to play professionally in an orchestra. Working to get her master's degree in music, she has a wonderful gift to offer.

The whole family, father, mother, and daughter are gifted musicians. Sharing their talents with the church has always inspired me. I recall many Sundays when we hugged good morning, shared some crazy story out of our busy lives, and then worked together to lift up your name through song and word.

Although we have been apart for quite some time, these three people are among those I carry with me every day. I have discovered that there are those people who quietly move into our hearts and remain with us every day of our lives. The Smiths are three of those.

Thank you
for friendships
that go deep
into our souls.
Thank you
for Larry,
Caroline, and Johna.
Thank you
for the richness
of their faith,
their talents,
their gifts,
and their love.
Thank you
for drawing
us together
for eternity.

Love, Andrea