Elizabeth

Today is the third anniversary of the death of my sister Liz. I miss her dearly. One of the things that I love so much about attending services at First United Methodist Church is the Praise Team. The songs they sing make me feel close to her. I cry frequently on Sunday's during worship because I know that she is in God's Presence and that she looks down upon us sending us her love and support from above. The songs the Praise Team sings let me know that. I also know that one day I will see her again.

What can say about Elizabeth? To know her was to love her. She was a LMSW and worked for Family First Hospice here in town. She had an infectious smile and wonderfully sweet personality. Liz loved to travel. One day, she just decided to pack her bags and move. She moved to North Carolina - the home of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. She loved NASCAR and she LOVED Jr.!!!! When Liz moved, she had no place to stay and no job. Now she did have things lined up, but nothing definite. She went with her FAITH, that this is what she should do and trusted that God would provide. All of her leads panned out and Liz landed a job working for a Hospice Agency in North Carolina and life was good for her.

I've probably romaticized this a little, memories for all the details fade after awhile. All I know is that I admired her greatly for acting on a dream and not letting her fears hold her back.

I'll never forget the early morning hours on February 14, 2009, when I awoke for no apparent reason, the car sitting on the dirt road in front of our house and then turning in the drive way, waking up Jason and him getting the shot gun and then giving it to me, Jason telling me to stay in the bedroom and to not come out, all the while me holding the gun. (As I type this, I'm smiling, it's sort of funny. What was I going to do with that shot gun? I'd never shot a gun before.) I remember Jason calling me to come from the bedroom, it was ok and seeing the Highway Patrolman standing in my living room. I don't really remember what he said. I remember doubling over as my heart ripped out of my chest and the guilt flooded in. She had not been feeling good. Jason had just made a trip to North Carolina to pick up a piece of work equipment. He asked me if I wanted to come along and I declined because of work. I had been talking to her daily on the phone, checking in with her but had last talked to her on the 12th. She was feeling better and I was relieved.

Liz was found in her bed, on February 13th, she had died in her sleep from a pulmonary embolus. The one thing that haunts me is that she spent her life, comforting others as they crossed over from this world to the world of our Heavenly Father and yet she died alone, with no one by her side. The one thing that comforts me is the thought that all those she had been with as they made their journies from this earth were there to help her from our world to theirs. This brings me peace and comfort.

I Love You Liz!