A woman of renown

 "When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.  They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship."

This is the book of Acts account of the apostle Paul's goodbye to the church of Ephesus. It struck me, as I was doing much the same with a youth group from Eunice last night that saying goodbye never gets easier.

One darling youngster gave me a piece of card board on which she had written, "Ellie, don't forget me."

As if I could.

I remember my day of graduation from high school well. I spent much of it with my girl friend, then headed home. Late that evening, as the huge fan we had at our house drew in country air that would tame the most hateful of spirits, I teared up. I understood at some gut level that things would never be the same with my buddies that I had grown up with from the third grade on.

I was right. They went their own way, some to a junior college up the road, some to four-year colleges, some to work, etc. etc. etc.

Some graduates I've never seen again. They didn't come to the reunion, the one we had some 23 years ago. 

Goodbyes, to coin a phrase that used to drive me nuts, suck. They do. Friendships that have grown under the skin deep are shattered in many ways never to be whole again. That's the way of the church, and, to coin a phrase (oh, you know the rest) it stinks.

So, what keeps me going? What takes me through the darkness?

Well, it's a who, much more than a what.

She is my constant, if you dip back to the television show Lost for meaning (which I still do from time to time). She is my ministry, my anchor, my meaning, my reason. She keeps me going when I am less than able, which for the past year was at least part of the time. When things were at their worst, she was at her best.

She keeps my life in rhythm by providing the rhyme. She really, really does. I would be nothing without her.

Today is her birthday. I love her so dearly. The only goodbye I will ever be saying to her is my final one on this earth.

Happy birthday, Mary. May your day be as calm and assuring and exciting and memorable as any could be.