Mondays are for Mowing and thought Mulling.

Its that time of year again. Time to start cutting the grass weekly.
At Woodleaf we stop mowing in October and pick it up again in April or May depending on the amount of snowfall we have each year.
This year was a mild winter so a few weeks ago, I noticed that our grass was growing- I mean it looked like we had weeds; some of it was so high. So I got out the mower, filled it with gas and began the work of cutting our half acre of lawn. Six emptyings of grass clippings later, it looked green and wonderful.

Mondays will now be my day to mow. It works well with my Young Life College schedule in Chico as Mondays are my day at home to prepare my studies for the week, and looking forward to our summer schedule, most Mondays will be day 3 of the week, which fits into my weekly schedule as well.

So today, was the third week in a row that I got out my lawn mower to begin the weekly chore. I've realized that I ponder alot as I mow and use this time to think on things.

Today my heart was flooded with memories of a young beautiful woman whose life ended way too soon on Saturday. 
I first met Karen when she was three years old and we car pooled with her to pre-school three times each week. She became my son Todd's first  friend who was a girl. They remained friends for years and years and i have photos of her with Todd thru the years.

When they entered middle school, I was leading Wyldlife and Karen became one of my Wyldlife girls for all  three years of middle school. I was the leader of a group of friends all of their awkward, silly middle school years.
I took them to two weekend camps and they made me laugh and asked great questions. I led a bible study at my home with six girls and Karen faithfully attneded.

How is it that I am still alive and much older and she lost her life within 5 months of her cancer diagnosis? How is it that her mom and my friend, Gloria, and her husband Russ, are now bereft of their youngest daughter?
Karen became engaged last September and because of this devastating disease, will never have experienced marriage. Her fiance has lost his love. 
Her sister, Michelle has lost the little sister she adored.

Life isn't fair. Sometimes-often way too often, life is cut short far too early.
Karen is one of those people who should have lived many more years.
I talked to a few of my old Wyldlife girls yesterday and they are all wrestling with unbelief, shock and sadness.

"WHY?" 
Why her, why now?

I have no answers.
All I do know is that this was not God's plan. 
Thousands of years ago, when Eve chose her plan over God's, sin entered the world. And with sin, came sickness and death. Never part of God's original plan, but one we have had to live with ever since. 
Makes me wonder, what God had planned. I guess we will find out when we meet Him face to face.

I was sad today and over the weekend realizing that I will not see Karen again in this life. The last time I saw her was at her friend Stephanie's wedding, and had a great time chatting with her and the other Wyldlife girls.
What brings me comfort today is that because I knew her and had the privilege of being her Wyldlife leader and friend, i know that she began a relationship with the LORD and I will see  her again.

Psalm 115:15 says:
Precious in the sight of the LORD, is the death of His saints.

I know God welcomed Karen to her eternal home on Saturday morning.
This temporal home we know, will miss her.
Until we meet again Karen, thank you for the joy of being your friend.