Sometimes, something will come up in your life that triggers a sweet memory. I think we all have those moments, don't we?
Yesterday, a friend of mine posted a song on Facebook that brought memories flooding back of a dear friend that we lost about 7 years ago, Eunice Carter.
Eunice was one of those people that I think God puts into our lives for a particular season. We became close with her shortly after I was diagnosed with MS, and after her beloved husband of 60 years (Ray) passed on and we only had her a few short years, but those years with her were wonderful. It was neat to have a doctor to be able to talk about MS things, and a strong Christian doctor to boot. We prayed together about alot of things and she was a source of strength and comfort for me in many ways. She was also very close with my husband Steve and was a big comfort to him during a very trying time in his life.
Eunice was quite a character. Raised on a farm in Ohio, she put herself through medical school (which was quite something back in those days) and had her medical practice in her home until she retired. She was one of the few doctors that wrote the actual questions on the AMA entry board exams! WOW, now that's a doctor! Compassionate, and caring with a quirky sense of humor. That was our Eunice. She loved to come over here for dinner on Sundays and taught my husband how to make a martini just the way she liked them with dirty ice! Yes, she did take a drink every now and then, mainly martini's and said proudly, she would have never lived as long as she did without it. She never abused it and I actually never saw her take more than one martini at a time, but boy did she enjoy those martini's! One of the pleasures of life she would say.
She went with me to some MS seminars because she was always interested in keeping up with the latest medical information. She was quite a wiz on her computer, especially for her age, and there wasn't much that scared her. She got two doggies after her Ray died, Bella and Tiger and you would see her walking those dogs on long walks. I can still see her zooming around town with those two dogs in here Prius, one of the first Hybrids on the market. She always wanted the latest and greatest! They were a big part of her life in those later years. Her doggies, and her church family are what mattered most to Eunice. Her kids, two sons, both lived out of town and she didn't seem them often, so her church family was the one that she clung to.
Anyway, back to my story. Eunice had given me a copy of the book and CD I hope you dance by Lee Ann Womack. I remember receiving it shortly after I had a flareup and was feeling down. Eunice always had a way of cheering me up. That book and song were so light and wonderful and uplifting I did feel like dancing again, and in those days I even could. The gift was a welcome relief from the drama of another round of steroids~
Hearing those words of that song this morning were even more meaningful because at this stage in my life, my legs really aren't working much at all, and dancing definitely isn't on my plates these days. I got a little teary eyes thinking about Eunice giving me that. BUT, and this is a big BUT, the Promise of Dancing Again is always there for me because I know that when I get to heaven, I WILL be dancing again. I am so looking forward to that day!!!
Hope is what we all hang on to. Hope to see loved ones again in heaven, hope to be able to dance again, hope for a pain free day, hope for a restored relationship with a loved one we've grown apart from, hope to be healed from a sickness. That book and CD "I hope you dance" lifted me up when I was down. and gave me hope. Hope is something we all desperately need. The Bible has many verses about hope, because the Bible is literally a book of hope. One of my very favorite verses is from Romans 15:13" May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
What is your biggest hope? What brightens your day? What makes you dance? My biggest source of hope is my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Knowing Him on a personal level has given me hope for the here and now and hope for the future: my future on this earth, and my future in eternity with the Lord. And what a glorious hope to look forward to! Thank you Lord!
My verse today is above in red.
My prayer for today:
Dear Heavenly Father:
Thank you for giving us the feeling of hope. It is such a wonderful gift that we hang onto many days. Thank you for something to look forward to: the anticipation of a new event, a restored relationship, a pain free day.
Thank you for my friend Eunice and what she meant to our family. I am looking forward to seeing Eunice again in Heaven one day. That is another hope I have and I am thankful. Please Lord, give your hope to those who need it most.
In Your Mighty name I pray,
Amen
Yesterday, a friend of mine posted a song on Facebook that brought memories flooding back of a dear friend that we lost about 7 years ago, Eunice Carter.
Eunice was one of those people that I think God puts into our lives for a particular season. We became close with her shortly after I was diagnosed with MS, and after her beloved husband of 60 years (Ray) passed on and we only had her a few short years, but those years with her were wonderful. It was neat to have a doctor to be able to talk about MS things, and a strong Christian doctor to boot. We prayed together about alot of things and she was a source of strength and comfort for me in many ways. She was also very close with my husband Steve and was a big comfort to him during a very trying time in his life.
Eunice was quite a character. Raised on a farm in Ohio, she put herself through medical school (which was quite something back in those days) and had her medical practice in her home until she retired. She was one of the few doctors that wrote the actual questions on the AMA entry board exams! WOW, now that's a doctor! Compassionate, and caring with a quirky sense of humor. That was our Eunice. She loved to come over here for dinner on Sundays and taught my husband how to make a martini just the way she liked them with dirty ice! Yes, she did take a drink every now and then, mainly martini's and said proudly, she would have never lived as long as she did without it. She never abused it and I actually never saw her take more than one martini at a time, but boy did she enjoy those martini's! One of the pleasures of life she would say.
She went with me to some MS seminars because she was always interested in keeping up with the latest medical information. She was quite a wiz on her computer, especially for her age, and there wasn't much that scared her. She got two doggies after her Ray died, Bella and Tiger and you would see her walking those dogs on long walks. I can still see her zooming around town with those two dogs in here Prius, one of the first Hybrids on the market. She always wanted the latest and greatest! They were a big part of her life in those later years. Her doggies, and her church family are what mattered most to Eunice. Her kids, two sons, both lived out of town and she didn't seem them often, so her church family was the one that she clung to.
A gathering of the old "Vamo Church" gang at our house, Christmas 2005, Eunice is in the front in red.
Anyway, back to my story. Eunice had given me a copy of the book and CD I hope you dance by Lee Ann Womack. I remember receiving it shortly after I had a flareup and was feeling down. Eunice always had a way of cheering me up. That book and song were so light and wonderful and uplifting I did feel like dancing again, and in those days I even could. The gift was a welcome relief from the drama of another round of steroids~
Hearing those words of that song this morning were even more meaningful because at this stage in my life, my legs really aren't working much at all, and dancing definitely isn't on my plates these days. I got a little teary eyes thinking about Eunice giving me that. BUT, and this is a big BUT, the Promise of Dancing Again is always there for me because I know that when I get to heaven, I WILL be dancing again. I am so looking forward to that day!!!
Hope is what we all hang on to. Hope to see loved ones again in heaven, hope to be able to dance again, hope for a pain free day, hope for a restored relationship with a loved one we've grown apart from, hope to be healed from a sickness. That book and CD "I hope you dance" lifted me up when I was down. and gave me hope. Hope is something we all desperately need. The Bible has many verses about hope, because the Bible is literally a book of hope. One of my very favorite verses is from Romans 15:13" May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
What is your biggest hope? What brightens your day? What makes you dance? My biggest source of hope is my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Knowing Him on a personal level has given me hope for the here and now and hope for the future: my future on this earth, and my future in eternity with the Lord. And what a glorious hope to look forward to! Thank you Lord!
My verse today is above in red.
My prayer for today:
Dear Heavenly Father:
Thank you for giving us the feeling of hope. It is such a wonderful gift that we hang onto many days. Thank you for something to look forward to: the anticipation of a new event, a restored relationship, a pain free day.
Thank you for my friend Eunice and what she meant to our family. I am looking forward to seeing Eunice again in Heaven one day. That is another hope I have and I am thankful. Please Lord, give your hope to those who need it most.
In Your Mighty name I pray,
Amen
