God Answered My Prayers When He Gave Me.....…My Helen  

In 1992, our family decided to do a major down-stroke.  Not that we were so high up on the financial ladder that our move was a major decrease in the eyes of the world, but to our family it was.  We did several things in our down-stroke….I went very part time at my job decreasing our family income by almost one-half, we sold our newly built and lovely starter home and moved into a major fixer-upper.  We traded in our beloved Honda for a used family Van.  We pulled our baby daughter from day care and moved her home to “Mommy care”.  We used my growing retirement fund to support the income we lost and we initiated the process of attempting to have baby number 2.

We changed our lives in significant ways.  And, when you make dramatic changes like that, you had best be praying about them….and, we were.  And, I was.

I remember praying personally for every little detail of the process but especially for a change in heart.  And, I asked God to help us move to a neighborhood where our decisions didn’t seem at all dramatic but rather, were an answer to prayer.

I remember praying that God bring into our lives a friend for me who would understand the dramatic change we were making and who would encourage me on the days it would get rough, because I knew enough to understand that it would.

And, it did.

And, HE did.

When we moved to 1020 Balsam Drive, we had not lived there long before a burst of energy in the form of a light haired, optimistic, dynamo of a woman approached our back porch with a big hello and a smile the size of a sunrise on a Kentucky summer morning.

“Hello, I’m Helen.  My husband is Phil.  I have four daughters, so please be careful not to run over one because we basically share a driveway.” “Oh, and by the way, do you like to walk, because I really really need to start walking?”

I laughed.  Out loud.  She spoke quickly and will a sweeping sense of humor like that of a mother who had decided that laughing was more important than doing laundry or mopping the bathroom floor.

I didn’t realize that day I met “my” Helen, that my life was in for a dramatic change which would follow me….no, which would carry me through all the rest of the days of my life.

We became more than friends.  We grew into sisters of the most precious kind which was really rather remarkable because she had a slew of them already and she loved them dearly. 

But, for some reason, she seemed to understand that I needed her, and, I think, at times, she needed me too.

We shared a real and frank and honest friendship.  She knew everything about me, both good and bad….and, I her.  Things I know went to the grave with her.  And, which will go with me when I join her.

Our friendship began while walking around our neighborhood…we walked pretty faithfully off and on…and off and on…we spent many late evenings after our children were in bed, talking about life and husbands and children.  But, most importantly, we talked about ourselves and about our God.

Weather was not a problem because on rainy days, we sat on my covered porch and drank hot tea or coffee.  Summer was nice because we sat out at her pool and dipped our toes in the water.  Even in Winter, there were times we sat for hours in the car until one of our husbands called out to us to come in for the evening.         

We had “seasons” together when we cooked for a month for our families, planted flowers in our gardens and mostly, we just talked some more….

When you have a friend who will kneel beside you at the edge of your couch, you are blessed.

When you have a friend who, rather than sugar coat truth to you, chooses to see the good in you when you are ugly, who sheds tears with you in your moments of sorrows but who will only allow you to wallow in self-pity for a few moments before she makes you get up and going in life, you are blessed.

I wasn’t Helen’s only friend, for she had many.  But, I never knew that until she left us and the church was surrounded with the many she had come to bless over the years…..up until then, I always thought I was her only and best friend….she just made each of us feel special like that.  And, you know….it worked.  And, as a result, her friends became my friends because we had something special in common….we had “our” Helen.

She shared her husband with us….loaning him out to us to help us renovate our home, keep our appliances running, and helping keep our kids from drowning in her pool.  She shared her daughters with us, some babysitting mine, some allowing us to fix them up on dates, and others permitting us to take pictures of her wedding. 

She shared her family with us and I confess, I didn’t do so well remembering which name went with which face.  All I really knew for certain was that each had a special place in her heart.

Honestly, I don’t really know of anyone Helen didn’t love.  She had this innate ability to see the good in people even when they didn’t look so good on the outside. 

Helen taught me about truth, compassion and being set free in Him.  I was permitted to join her in the freedom that sharing with another who will listen and not judge. 

Helen did what a true friend does….

She just loved me

When we moved to Georgetown (a move I didn’t want to make), it tore my heart in two.  In fact, it was so bad that she didn’t even stay at home the day we moved because we both decided it would be easier to say our goodbyes in advance…..

While we stayed in touch, that touch waned over the years to become a phone call a few times a year, or a casual drop in….she and the girls did come to our home while we were out of town one year. The had a “mother-daughter” weekend and I can still hear the joy in her voice as she told me about spending time with her girls….it makes me smile remembering… thinking of the fun they had in my home….that her presence in lived there long after she had physically gone back to her own.

Helen was like that, too.

She left a little piece of herself every time you had to part from one another…her hug could carry you for days and knowing that she would be praying for you a priceless gift.

We did finally get more "back in touch" but the time was too short....too too short...for by then, we knew her days with us...with me...with you....would not be as long as she would like...as we would like....

But, ever faithful....ever the loving daughter, mother, sister, friend...even then she reminded us all of the purpose of this life was to ready us for the next...and, to take others with us as we go....to prepare and to be prepared.  Not to weep with great sorrow, but to celebrate with great joy...

Even now, as I write about her….where sadness could fill my heart and tears my soul, Helen left instead, joy and laughter and memories to fill her void.  On those days I forget and go to dial her number of end an appointment in Lexington and consider dropping by her now Helen-less home, when sorrow could overwhelm me….it does not.

Because the greatest blessing and lesson Helen taught me was….that she is right where she is called to be….with the One whom she is called to be with….

Call me strange, but there have been times this past 365 days when I would swear I can hear her say my name….”Lesa” in that chipper little way she had….

And, I smile

And, I know……she would not have us hug our sorrow to us but rather, would want us to live with blessed peace…would want us to share sweet joy….would want us to share abundant love….

In her honor

And, in His name….

So, this 19^th of January, that is what I will do….

How could I not?

For, I have a friend in Jesus…..who became real to me because of my friendship with Helen….

 

Till We Meet Again….

Lesa

 

 

           

 

In 1992, our family decided to do a major down-stroke.  Not that we were so high up on the financial ladder that our move was a major decrease in the eyes of the world, but to our family it was.  We did several things in our down-stroke….I went very part time at my job decreasing our family income by almost one-half, we sold our newly built and lovely starter home and moved into a major fixer-upper.  We traded in our beloved Honda for a used family Van.  We pulled our baby daughter from day care and moved her home to “Mommy care”.  We used my growing retirement fund to support the income we lost and we initiated the process of attempting to have baby number 2.

We changed our lives in significant ways.  And, when you make dramatic changes like that, you had best be praying about them….and, we were.  And, I was.

I remember praying personally for every little detail of the process but especially for a change in heart.  And, I asked God to help us move to a neighborhood where our decisions didn’t seem at all dramatic but rather, were an answer to prayer.

I remember praying that God bring into our lives a friend for me who would understand the dramatic change we were making and who would encourage me on the days it would get rough, because I knew enough to understand that it would.

And, it did.

And, HE did.

When we moved to 1020 Balsam Drive, we had not lived there long before a burst of energy in the form of a light haired, optimistic, dynamo of a woman approached our back porch with a big hello and a smile the size of a sunrise on a Kentucky summer morning.

“Hello, I’m Helen.  My husband is Phil.  I have four daughters, so please be careful not to run over one because we basically share a driveway.” “Oh, and by the way, do you like to walk, because I really really need to start walking?”

I laughed.  Out loud.  She spoke quickly and will a sweeping sense of humor like that of a mother who had decided that laughing was more important than doing laundry or mopping the bathroom floor.

I didn’t realize that day I met “my” Helen, that my life was in for a dramatic change which would follow me….no, which would carry me through all the rest of the days of my life.

We became more than friends.  We grew into sisters of the most precious kind which was really rather remarkable because she had a slew of them already and she loved them dearly. 

But, for some reason, she seemed to understand that I needed her, and, I think, at times, she needed me too.

We shared a real and frank and honest friendship.  She knew everything about me, both good and bad….and, I her.  Things I know went to the grave with her.  And, which will go with me when I join her.

Our friendship began while walking around our neighborhood…we walked pretty faithfully off and on…and off and on…we spent many late evenings after our children were in bed, talking about life and husbands and children.  But, most importantly, we talked about ourselves and about our God.

Weather was not a problem because on rainy days, we sat on my covered porch and drank hot tea or coffee.  Summer was nice because we sat out at her pool and dipped our toes in the water.  Even in Winter, there were times we sat for hours in the car until one of our husbands called out to us to come in for the evening.         

We had “seasons” together when we cooked for a month for our families, planted flowers in our gardens and mostly, we just talked some more….

When you have a friend who will kneel beside you at the edge of your couch, you are blessed.

When you have a friend who, rather than sugar coat truth to you, chooses to see the good in you when you are ugly, who sheds tears with you in your moments of sorrows but who will only allow you to wallow in self-pity for a few moments before she makes you get up and going in life, you are blessed.

I wasn’t Helen’s only friend, for she had many.  But, I never knew that until she left us and the church was surrounded with the many she had come to bless over the years…..up until then, I always thought I was her only and best friend….she just made each of us feel special like that.  And, you know….it worked.  And, as a result, her friends became my friends because we had something special in common….we had “our” Helen.

She shared her husband with us….loaning him out to us to help us renovate our home, keep our appliances running, and helping keep our kids from drowning in her pool.  She shared her daughters with us, some babysitting mine, some allowing us to fix them up on dates, and others permitting us to take pictures of her wedding. 

She shared her family with us and I confess, I didn’t do so well remembering which name went with which face.  All I really knew for certain was that each had a special place in her heart.

Honestly, I don’t really know of anyone Helen didn’t love.  She had this innate ability to see the good in people even when they didn’t look so good on the outside. 

Helen taught me about truth, compassion and being set free in Him.  I was permitted to join her in the freedom that sharing with another who will listen and not judge. 

Helen did what a true friend does….

She just loved me

When we moved to Georgetown (a move I didn’t want to make), it tore my heart in two.  In fact, it was so bad that she didn’t even stay at home the day we moved because we both decided it would be easier to say our goodbyes in advance…..

While we stayed in touch, that touch waned over the years to become a phone call a few times a year, or a casual drop in….she and the girls did come to our home while we were out of town one year. The had a “mother-daughter” weekend and I can still hear the joy in her voice as she told me about spending time with her girls….it makes me smile remembering… thinking of the fun they had in my home….that her presence lived there long after she had physically gone back to her own.

Helen was like that, too.

She left a little piece of herself every time you had to part from one another…her hug could carry you for days and knowing that she would be praying for you a priceless gift.

Even now, as I write about her….where sadness could fill my heart and tears my soul, Helen left instead, joy and laughter and memories to fill her void.  On those days I forget and go to dial her number after an appointment in Lexington and consider dropping by her now Helen-less home, when sorrow could overwhelm me….it does not.

Because the greatest blessing and lesson Helen taught me was….that she is right where she is called to be….with the One whom she is called to be with….

Call me strange, but there have been times this past 365 days when I would swear I can hear her say my name….”Lesa” in that chipper little way she had….

And, I smile

And, I know……she would not have us hug our sorrow to us but rather, would want us to live with blessed peace…would want us to share sweet joy….would want us to share abundant love….

In her honor

And, in His name….

So, this 19^th of January, that is what I will do….

How could I not?

For, I have a friend in Jesus…..who became real to me because of my friendship with Helen….

 Till We Meet Again….

Lesa