For Gwen

I just found out that one of "my ladies" died today. She was one of the ladies I visited with the shut in visitation ministry I started at church. She wasn't just one of them, she was one of my favorites. Gwen wasn't that old (she was only in her 60s), but she had advanced lung disease, and was on oxygen and was not able to do much since lack of oxygen restricted her energy severely. She lived alone in a tiny, crowded apartment in an old building. She had every reason to be bitter and angry. But Gwen was anything but that. She was the most grateful, thankful person I have met in my entire life. She considered everything in her life a gift from Jesus, and it was all she could do to thank Him for it constantly.

While our visits were meant to be an encouragement and outreach to shut in women of the church that we visited, our time with Gwen always seemed to be more of a blessing to US! We came away from her place, in awe of her, and her attitude. She was someone who had and could do so little, yet with the way she spoke about God's many blessings to her, you would think she was the queen. This woman spent her time and energy praising God and sharing Him with everyone she came in contact with. She truly was an amazing woman, and one I admire and was blessed to know. I'm sad that I will never get to visit her here again, but I know with certainty where she is tonight. She is praising God with no restrictions, and I can see that beautiful smile of hers. Gwen, I love you! I'm going to miss you, sweet lady!