Goodbye to a Dear Friend

Yesterday was a rough day. My dad called me yesterday while I was at work letting me know that a family friend of ours passed away. Sandra Parker was my first grade teacher as well as my other two sisters' first grade teacher. I wish that you all could have met this woman. Have you ever met someone and upon the first couple minutes of meeting that person, know that he/she was special? Yes, that's exactly how it was with Mrs. Parker. I don't think I've ever met a woman with such a big heart for children as well as people in general. She was a first grade teacher at Protsman Elementary School in Dyer for, I believe, over 30 years.

For years, my sisters and I went to help Mrs. Parker get her classroom ready for the fall. She was always a source of support and encouragement. I last talked with her about 3 weeks ago and made plans to meet up with her. Now, there is no doubt in my mind that she is in heaven with our Lord. She loved Him with all her heart, and I praise God for that! While she will be very missed, I am comforted by knowing she is in a better place.

As many of you know, I work as the Social Services Ministry Director at a Salvation Army in Joliet, IL. I have a passionate for meeting the clients' needs and for helping those as best I can who walk through my door. Food pantry days are always crazy, but there are a few clients who make it all worth it. Today, I was able to do a little bit of just talking with the clients, and as I was walking around, I saw a group of little kids hanging out by one of the bushes. I went over to say hi, and I noticed that they were all taking leaves that had fallen off of the bushes and putting them back on the tree. They would take a leaf and poke the leaf through the branch so that it would stay on. I asked them what they were doing, and one little boy profoundly said "The leaves are sad on the ground. They fell and can't get back up. We're putting them back where they belong." I think that's pretty awesome, don't you?