A Time To Mourn And A Time To Dance

It is time to dance

You know that saying, you can't pick your family but you can pick your friends? Well, my red headed sister and I picked each other when we just were 16 . We met while playing on a softball team that traveled to Australia representing the USA. It has been almost 30 years now and somewhere along the way, we became family.

We walked side by side from 16 year old girls to the women we are today. That walk has been filled with many fun memories, like ording 20 tacos in the Tac* Bell drive through. That walk has also been filled with much sadness, heart break, and tears. A cheating husband, not just once but twice. A family destroyed because of it.

A diagnosis of terminal cancer with only 8 months to live. A 17-month fight for life before her husband went to dance with Jesus. I helded her hand while she learned how to be a widow and a single mother to three beautiful kiddos.

A time to mourn.

We shed many tears together over the years, and we shared many, many wonderful times together. We took our kids on a cruise to Mexico and one winter we took them to the mountains snow boarding. We did the best we could as two single mamas that loved our kids and we have many happy memories of our times together. We always knew each of us was only a phone call away. We could go months without finding the time to pick up the phone and call and catchup, but when we did, it was like those months in between calls were merely only days. This school year, both of our youngest are in their senior year of high school.

She's been a widow for over six years now. I've watched her mourn, go into a deep depression, become only a shell of the woman she was before her husband died. I've also watched her fight back and reclaim her joy and love of life. I've watched her grow in her walk with Jesus. I've watched her mature in her faith. I've watched her let go of her anger for the unfairness of her husband dying way to young-of her kids having to grow up without their daddy. I've watched her embrace Jesus once again, focusing her eyes on Him, wanting to follow His will for her life...

In five more sleeps, on August 28 she will become Mrs. Ronnie Baker and I will finally have a brother~in~love.

My sister is back and I love her so much.

It is time to dance.

Resting In Jesus,

~s