Wednesday, February 27, 2013

OPEN HOUSE - Mark your calendar!!

We are getting ready to officially open Women Refreshed at the Well and we would like to do a grand opening - open house!

We will post more details but wanted to tell you all to mark your calendars:

5839 Henderson Highway
Sunday March 17
2pm - 5pm
We will do a short formal ribbon cutting and prayer dedication time at 3pm.

We would love to see you all there!

Monday, February 18, 2013

since the last post ...

There has not been any post lately - and I thought I would take a minute just to explain that silence.

The last time I wrote I believe, was the 1st of this month.  Today is the 19th.  How times flies.
I feel like I have not been able to catch my breath lately, although the visits from my grandsons and granddaughter help me to breathe!
Let me fill you in on my life lately.

First of all, I am very thankful for those of you who have made some impromptu visits, and sat with me around a cup of coffee! You know who you are - and I am thankful for your friendship.  It was one such visit, with a young friend, when I got a phone call from my sister, telling me her daughter had been in a car accident on the West Perimeter, and that she was in emergency surgery, and may not make it.  My friend drove me to the hospital since I was without a car that day.  I sat with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece ... we wept.  We prayed.  We waited.  More family joined us.  We wept more.  We prayed more.  We waited more.  That was the pattern for the rest of the day, until the evening, when after another CT scan, the doctors informed us all, that my niece would not make it - her brain injury was too extensive.

What can I say?  No words can describe the terrible feeling that comes when you hear those words.  It was strange, because somehow I just knew she was not going to make it - but kept praying.  Sometimes I don't know what to do with the "gut feelings" that I often get about things, or an "intuition" or and "insight".  I think God is the one behind all that, but still I often don't know what to do with it.

We stood, almost our whole extended family - and held her hand, touched her head, whispered words of assurance and love to her.  The whole time with tears pouring down our cheeks.  I often wonder where exactly those tears all come from.  Approximately 12 hours from when her car spun out of control and hit an MTS utility vehicle that was parked on the side of the road - we watched her pass from this life into the arms of the Almighty whom she loved.  And our hearts broke with sorrow.

Last week was full of family - and the memorial service - and more family.  I thank God for family, and never want to take our bonds for granted.  I am so proud of our family ties and love for one another.
This week, we realize that life, as hard as it is to say, life moves forward.  I know from experience that grief makes you feel like you are in a bubble, and you watch others going about life as normal, but somehow, life feels anything BUT normal.  So, I am spending time praying for my sister, brother-in-law, niece Mel and husband Grant and their kids.  I am also spending time praying for my niece (who died) Keri - for her little 4 1/2 year old.  He is the one left without a mommy.  That breaks my heart.

I am not sure if you (reading this) are a praying person!  (since I am not sure who all reads my blog)
I believe in the power of prayer.  I believe that God has a plan for our life.  I believe God had a plan for Keri's.  I believe God has a plan for her son.  I don't understand what all happens in life,  but I believe God is Sovereign!

So, I ask you to pray.  Pray for the family Keri left behind.  Pray for strength to get up each morning, and to see that God gives new mercies every morning.  Great is HIS faithfulness!!
I am posting pictures of the hand-out from Keri's funeral, which I had the privilege of planning, and doing, along with my brother (obit and eulogy) and my daughter (doing all the music) and my son (did the short sermon).  We thank God for Keri's life - and know that she is with Him, and we have just said good-bye for a time, until we are together again.  That is the hope we have because we love the Lord.



This was the inside of the card that was handed out at the service.
Yes, such a tiny little one, but she lived big!!

She was a good mom to her little guy!
Her mom found this handwritten note in Keri's purse.
She had returned to Manitoba in fall of 2011
and this note expresses how blessed she felt!
A reminder for me - to thank God for all things - especially family!




Friday, February 1, 2013

more mail - more donations - incredibly thankful

Almost a week ago, my sweet friend Audrey's life was celebrated.  Her body was laid to rest in Sunnyside Cemetary, and a celebration of life took place later at Eastview Community Church.
The church was packed.  What a tribute to her life!

One of the things that happened through her death, was that her and her husband had decided ahead of time to support our ministry.  When Arnold told me this over a cup of coffee - I was so absolutely humbled and honored that even in death, she was blessing our ministry.  Therefore, as part of the obituary in the paper, people were told that they could give donations in her memory, to our ministry.

At this point, I have begun to write thank-you notes to several people, and with today's mail, there was another three hundred or so, bringing the total donated in Audrey's memory to about $2900.

I do not have permission to post names, but you know WHO you are.  I want to say THANK-YOU for supporting Women Refreshed at the Well, in memory of my sweet friend, Audrey Voth.
I am sure she would also be blown away by this!!  I know that I sure am!