I'm going to take some time off from blogging and will return.

Look for me to visit your space and leave comments on occasion. When I'm not too lazy, that is...

 

Love ya,

xoxo

Dana

I can't believe it...another person...

 

 I just found out that another person I love has died.

 

I met this girl when we were 13 and we became very good friends. Through out all these years we kept in touch and talked at least every month. When she was in this area, we got together and we would usually meet at the Olive Garden in Fort Worth for lunch..it was her favorite place to eat. When she moved to this area, she would come to my quaint little town and we would eat at a corner 'bistro' type cafe.

 

I hadn't heard from her in a while and I just assumed she was busy in her new position (see her obit) and at that time, I had just lost my sister, then my nephew.

 

When I tried to call her last night, her husband told me she had died from a massive stroke in September. Her husband and I had only met once and he didn't recognize my name in her address book, so he didn't know to call me to tell me. Plus she had 4 sisters and 2 brothers to deal with.

 

What a loss this is to me. I cried almost all night after I finished talking to him.

 

He considers himself lucky because she died in his arms before the EMS people arrived (so he never had to go through the denial stage of grieving) and he was able to tell her that he loved her even as she passed on. She was an organ donor and was kept on life support until all of her usable organs were donated. This was her to a "T". She was the nicest person I've ever known.

 

Then her remains were cremated and her ashes lie next to her mother's in the family plot in Albuquerque, NM.

 

Ya know what? This business of having people you love die -one right after another- it just sucks.  

 

xoxo

Derrell was a Christian. Anybody who knew him knew that about him, although he definitely was not a goody two shoes.

 

 

In 1998, he was arrested for about the 3rd or 4th time for DUI. He was sentenced to 6 months in county jail. This jail had a prison ministry and during his incarceration, Derrell turned his life around and invited Jesus to be his Lord and Savior. He backslid, just like we all do and would still do the things that hurt God, but he would always ask for forgiveness and try hard not to do them again.

 

He was baptised in July of that same year; in the same church that held his funeral service. Hubby and I were invited to attend and we were delighted to be a part of his journey to know Christ.

 

In October of 2005, Derrell was no longer living with Chelle and had just gotten an apartment in Granbury. One night he and a friend had too much to drink and Derrell ran his pickup into a tree and broke his neck. He didn't injure his spinal cord, but had to wear a "halo". He didn't have insurance, so his family came to Texas, packed up his stuff and he moved back to NM where he started over.

 

He couldn't find a doctor that he could afford, so he adjusted to a new life and took care of his injuries. He eventually removed the halo by himself. strenghthened his neck muscles and rebuilt his welding business. 

 

When his mom died (my sister), he knew his job would be to help his dad grieve and then move on. His dad talked at length about how much help Derrell had been.

 

Derrell and I talked often about why some people's lives are "spared" and others are called home to be with the Lord. Neither one of us had an answer even though we had both been "spared"  (I use quotation marks because most people think being spared is better than dying).

 

Derrell studied his bible seriously. In fact, the eulogy mostly consisted of the pastor reading passages that Derrell had underlined or highlighted. Things that Derrell thought was important or wanted to commit to memory.

 

The pastor had to stop a few times to regain his composure. I've never been to a funeral where the pastor cried.

 

There was no misunderstanding that Derrell trusted in the Lord.

 

(By the way, did I ever mention that I was the first person to hold Derrell after he was delivered? What an honor that was for me ~ even back then, I knew he was special).

 

 

 

I KNOW WHO I AM.

 

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)

I am united with the Lord(1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price(1 Cor. 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8) I am the salt & light of the earth ( Matt.5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ(1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil.3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God(2 Cor.5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God( Rom.8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor.1:21-22)

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16).

I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).

I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1).

I am God's workmanship(Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14).

I have been adopted as God's child(Eph 1:5)

 

I belong to God.

Do you know who you are?

"The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you And be gracious to you; The LORD turn His face toward you And give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

 

xoxo

 

 

 

 

I just wish that ya'll could have known Derrell....he was the kind of person who could walk into a room and add light and life to it. Once you met him, you never forgot him. He was funny and handsome and polite. He would give you his last dollar if you needed it.

What a guy.

I'm going to miss him terribly. 

For more info about him, here's a link to his obituary:

 

 

Give me a few more days then I'll get back to being boring me again...and maybe I will have news on my knee....I believe I have decided on whether or not to have surgery....so stay tuned!

 

Thanks for all your condolences and well wishes - ya'll are a great bunch!!!

 

love you guys!

 

xoxo

Dana

 

You probably won't see an entry in the next few days, I've lost another member of my family. My sister's (who passed away in July) son passed away on October 23 - he passed away from unkown causes. We're waiting for the autopsy results, but I would guess it was a heart attack. He was only 35, but it seems to run in my family.

 

We just got in from the funeral and I am dog tired....although I know it's not about me. Derrell had 2 sisters that he loved very much and was very close to. They are having a very hard time.

 

 His dad has lost his wife and son in a matter of 3 months, so I know he is hurting.

 

Even being a Chrisitan, death seems so...I don't know...maybe my mind cannot comprehend the temporal finality of it all.

 

At any extent, I'll be by to visit, but my entries may be slow in apperance...just keep us in your prayers and thoughts. We need all the help we can get.

 

love you guys

xoxo

Dana