My Faithful Friend

Before too much more time passes, I really want to record some thoughts about the trip last month to see Jeanie Hansen. What struck me the most was the picture of faithfulness that she held up for me. Father Warren, had a Ph.D. in biochemistry from St. Louis University, then taught at St. Louis U. and Purdue. In his late 40s, he left that life to go to an Episcopal seminary. They lived a life of such simplicity, selling their big home and living in what had been their vacation cabin in Cuba, Mo. They both worked so hard all of the time, but laughed often and were so full of joy. They showed me from the start of my Christian life that knowing God is all about great joy.
They also showed me what the Christian life is NOT about: the applause of men. When I first got saved, the Lord gave me a desire to go help at a nearby soup kitchen. I told Father Warren, and he looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, "That's good. Go, and do that. Just remember, only one of the ten lepers Jesus healed came back to thank Him." I had to laugh when the first day, I struggled with my huge cafeteria tray full of grilled cheese sandwiches and was greeted by a rather hostile , "Oh, I hate grilled cheese!" Now that's a good preparation for a life in ministry. And Father Warren had warned me ahead of time, so it was no surprise.
When I was visiting Jeanie, less than a month after losing the one she always called her "hubby", she was faithfully serving at the Food Pantry in Cuba, (probably encountering some ungrateful lepers in the lot), serving not to earn points for heaven but to paint a picture of Christ by giving to those in need.
Her faithfulness really hit home in another way when we spent time going through her old photo albums. She had saved every card or picture of my kids that I had ever sent her. She had hanging on her wall an ornament that I had given her 15 years ago. She had planted in her garden the potted mums that had decorated the altar the day John and I got married. I was touched and humbled to see just how much she had cherished even the smallest thing that I had sent her. I wished I had sent more.
Unconditional love like hers comes only from God. And I don't want to be an ungrateful leper. I thank God for giving me such a faithful woman who calls me one of her adopted daughters. I thank Him for the picture of His steadfast love, a picture of my Lord who, for some reason, cherishes each of my totally inadequate prayers and praise.