Childhood Friends

Facebook has brought many old friends back into my life over the last year. I have so enjoyed connecting with each of them again. It's interesting to see how many stayed in Beaver County and how many left. Some are still in Rochester and are sending their children to the school we attended. Others have moved a little ways away and others, like me, have crossed the country.

My brother's funeral in July allowed me to reconnect with one of my closest childhood friends. Monica had heard from her brother that Bub had died. She called around looking for Nanny or me (and found both at Nanny's). We grew up next door to each other and looked at the other as a sister. Mom and I moved into our house when I was but 2 years old (it was the beginning of May 1968) and Monica's family moved in next door at the end of May. She had two older brothers; they all called my mom, Aunt Martha. I really don't remember much of my childhood that Monica wasn't someway involved - good or bad. Ya'll don't need to know about the bad....

One of the stories about us that I told my daughter (in encouragement to help her brother stop biting - M is getting really bad about it) involved Monica and I. We were walking home from the bus stop (her job was to get me home safely). For some reason I bit her on the arm. She came crying home and told my mom the story. Mom's response was for her to bite me back; let me know how it felt. Monica didn't want to do it and Mom told her to or Mom would bite Monica (yes, Monica's mom was part of this entire episode). To this day, I don't remember if Monica bit me back and now it is too late to ask. Monica had a heart attack and died the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

I don't know all the reasons why God had Monica come back into my life for such a short time. I know it gave me more opportunity to share His Word and the gift of salvation with her. And so, as I enter into my mourning at times, I know that the joy of the Lord is my strength. I know that He has appointed these times in my life. I know that He is in control and will carry me through any thing He chooses to send my way. I just need to trust in HIM and Him alone!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.