Our Friend Karen … Can’t Wait!

I am writing in this in the back seat of the car in route to Goose Creek, SC to say goodbye to one of our dearest friends, Karen. Not a road trip that we relish, but we are comforted that she is now beyond the pain and the struggle, and can enter into the peace and joy of her Savior.

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In October of 1993, I jumped in my little Subaru in Norfolk, VA and headed to my new duty station at Trident Refit Facility in Kingsbay, GA. I left my family behind and for the next two months. It was a time appointed for me to learn about relationship; first between me and God and then about loving others. I learned to be intentional about seeking friendships and I was led to Todd and Karen.

 

Over the next month or I horned in on their family life and tried to lay some groundwork so that Lynn would have a friend when she moved down in December. God knew what he was doing when he brought Karen into our lives.

 

After a 20 hour trek, our family arrived at housing on December 22nd. Todd & Karen helped us move and then 2 days later, we had Christmas dinner together. That would be the first of many holidays we would spend together over the next 4 years.

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Karen … Over those four years:

  • You were closer than a sister,

  • You kept my Lynnie sane during deployments,

  • You cried with us when we suffered loss,

  • You supported us when we struggled without a moment of judgement.

  • When we were in crisis, you always were there, you made all those Barbie birthday cakes and one memorable, “two mound cake”, which seemed to need a bra to maintain decency.

  • You and Lynnie sat for hours on the floor playing some weird Nintendo dictionary game with two animated crayons and some how we were entertained just watch you laugh at each other.

  • Covered each others heads when our children did ridiculous things in church plays. (Jeffery & Sam)

  • Took glee in embarrassing our children in public.

  • We raised our children together and shared our whole lives with each other.

  • We were family.

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Precious gifts like you only come along once or twice in a lifetime. Our lives have been forever changed because you were our friend.

It does not seem real that you are gone.  We long to play one more game, have one more laugh, to give you one last hug, and mostly to say all of this face to face. Fortunately, we know that we will have an eternity to spend in joy … Can’t wait!

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

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