Goodbye 2013!!!!

We entered the year of 2013 already depleted! Mom & Dad McCollum, after celebrating 66 years of
 marriage, were traveling on the freeway when Dad’s heart stopped resulting in a car crash. He got a
pacemaker and Mom was in the hospital in a body cast. Then we lay to rest Bertha Girard at age 98.
Yes, a long life but still filled with emotion. Another door closing. John looking around to find none of his
 original family left and feeling so old, especially starting on Medicare this year!

I got a big promotion at work after 3 years and things were going well. This job was a clear gift from God, given on a silver platter, even though it was far beneath prior pay and skill level it was obviously where I should be. Daily there were opportunities to witness, co-workers asking for prayer, for advice, for mending, for answers, a backrub or just a bite to eat. Totally God moments helping clients by being open to being used of God is so many ways. Many ways of blessing others and being blessed. Lifestyle choices are different but God has been providing.  We celebrated 32 years of marriage and a nice Valentines Day.

Then it was one of those times you will always remember, burned indelibly on your brain. I was overjoyed
to be having breakfast with both my children – Joshua and Jennifer at the Cracker Barrel. When my phone rang, Joshua hit cancel – “Let’s just enjoy our meal without interruption”. When we were done, we separated and I checked my messages as I left. I didn’t get out of the parking lot. Gathering my children once again, words had a hard time being formed in my mouth let alone escaping audibly. “My brother Don is dead”. Just not possible. My heart just broke.

He said I was the only family who ever visited him at his apartment but it was just not the same without him. I got to know his wonderful neighbors who just showered me with love and food! With lots of help I got through closing up everything and laying him to rest at the Fort Snelling cemetery with full honor guard and the Patriot Guard. I will never be able to forget the screaming sobs of my mother echoing across the dusky, snow covered tombstones. “Si vis pacem, para bellum- "If you wish for peace, prepare for war.” As I write this, I still reach for the phone to talk to him. Life is so different now.

It was hard to go back to routine. Hard to imagine how the world kept going on without him. Evidently, God felt I needed a rest.  A co-worker spread lies about me, evidently while I was gone. So silly I laughed about it. My boss took a week off and I was suddenly “Let go.” “Just not a good fit” kept ringing in my ears for weeks. I still have no job but what she meant for evil God worked for good. Joshua made a big move to New York, the city, Manhattan, upper west side! So I was available to escort Joshua’s cat, Monty, to NYC when Joshua got settled and spend a wonderful time visiting and falling in love with New York.

Before I had the chance to share about my adventures over tea and music with my good friend, Correne Hendrickso​n went home to be with Jesus this Christmas also. It seems like the music has gone out of my life without her as well as lots of laughter and spoons. I miss the spoons! Also missing our cat, Daddy’s little girl, who was laid to rest right before we found out about our “Angel” Correne.

Since going on Medicare, John finally was able to get his painful knee replaced which sent us into four months of hospital stays and meals on trays. Bed ridden for weeks after the surgery, we spent another week back in the hospital anxiously waiting for his blood to get purged from anti-clotting meds so they could remove a gangrene gallbladder. Still recovering from that, he had to have another surgery to lengthen his tendons and a cast for 4 weeks. I could add caregiver to my resume but I don’t think that’s the job I am still seeking.

I took a “break” from my nursing to help my sister moving our parents to an assisted living center. So blessed to have my darling daughter give up her vacation to join me since it was a very difficult time.

Now in this favorite time of year (albeit with Scrooge) I am surrounded by beautiful music, pretty lights and cookies and I cannot remember feeling more blessed and loved by God. He even gave me a special Christmas present – I won a lovely Pandora bracelet I won at our Christmas event at church! I feel very close to Mary. Not the Mary with the baby in a manager but the Mary at the foot of the cross. Remembering all the wonderful times, pondering things I have kept in my heart. Knowing that Christ birth, coming to earth to show how much He loved us. He came to die - for me! To be made like us, God made man, and to live a perfect life and give it up for us, for me. Through Christmas, and looking to Easter, I have the hope of time without end and no more death. I see his love all around and look forward to all eternity.

P. S. See kids – I have downsized 

from a 12’ tree to 3’