Donna Met Jesus

I just found out a few moments ago that a Sister-in-Christ met Jesus for the first time yesterday morning. She had terminal cancer, and I had just found out about her condition two days ago.

Donna lived in my neighborhood some years back, and she was a fun lady; always nice to me, always had a smile on her face and laughing about something that had tickled her. She was a creative sort and a friend of a good friend, that’s how I came to know her. She worked at a local store in the greeting card department, and would pull discontinued cards, replace with current ones, put out seasonal cards, etc.

I must have told her at some point that I loved the work of the Dutch artist, Marjolein Bastin, whose greeting cards are licensed by Hallmark.  One day Donna stopped by with a surprise gift, a neat little stack of Marjolein’s cards and envelopes… she said, “Don’t tell anyone I gave these to you and don’t sell them!”  I promised not to spill the beans… there was no danger in that.  I practically guarded the cards with my life… not sharing… hoarding… for my eyes only… Then I realized that even though these cards were a tremendous blessing to me, if I didn’t share them, the blessing would end right there. I decided to continue the chain… keep the blessing going.  When an occasion would arise; a birthday, sympathy, or just an opportunity to say ‘hello’, out came the card stack, and I would carefully sort through to find the perfect card and sentiment, then, I passed on the blessing. 

When I heard that Donna was sick and only had six months to live, I knew what I needed to do… I would choose the perfect card out of the remaining few and tell her what a blessing her gift had been… I was too late, but I refuse to let the blessing end… I’ll still chose that perfect card, and send it to her husband and family, and tell them Donna’s story… a story that wouldn’t have happened if I had not opened my tightly clenched fist and shared the blessing.

Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.”  John 14: 2-4.

Joy