Sister Love

This was a lovely, warm day for January 24th. The snow melted and the fog finally lifted. I went to physical therapy for my left shoulder, the rotator cuff. It's getting better after almost three months of therapy, but it's not well by any means. It doesn't hurt so much any more except when the therapist forces it to move beyond the stiffness it still has. My range of motion is very much improved, except for putting my arm up behind me. That motion still has a long way to go to be as good as the right arm movements. I hope so much that it was already well. The pain is getting to me now and I am very frustrated. I know everyone at the p.t. office by their first names and they certainly know me. They've all had a hand in giving me therapy at one time or another.

I'm going to see my sisters tomorrow after lunch. I'll pick up Gene and take her with me to see Barbara. Last week she was not doing well. She has her bad days now and then. Each time I go to visit her, she seems to be thinner. I was appalled to see how thin her arms and legs had become in the last month. When she held up her arm, I could see both bones from the wrist to the elbow, almost visible beneath the skin. They were so distinct, it was hard to look at them. I never in my life thought that my baby sister would be the one to go first of Mother's three natural daughters. She has always been so loving and kind to her family as well as friends and neighbors. She is a good Christian and made many friends in her church home. I was happy to hear that some of them came to see her and sing to her.

Barbara is also a poet, coming by it quite late in life. She never thought she had any talents to explore and wondered why God didn't give her any to develop. She always envied me the many talents God had bestowed upon me. I have been a writer since I was twelve years of age. She wanted to write poetry too. I told her to ask God for a gift and be ernest about it. She said she prayed many times about receiving a gift. One day during a shower she was surprised that words came to her, very quickly. She recognized that it was words to a poem and she was anxious to get out of the shower to write them down. She begged God to let her remember what was coming into her mind. As quickly as she could, after drying herself, she grabbed paper and pencil and wrote down the words she was hearing in her mind. When she was finished, reading it over, she realized that God had just given her a lovely spiritual poem, her first one. She was so happy that she called me right away to tell me. I was so happy for her. "See, I told you that if you ask God for a gift that you would receive one," I said. I was so proud of her. God hears and answers prayers of those who truly believe. And Barbara really does. Since that time, about eight years ago, she has written many lovely poems. She calls me up each time and reads them to me, sometimes asking for help in the phrasing. I am glad she trusts me that much. About a year and a half ago, Barbara wrote a lovely poem entitled "Jesus is my Life Line." It was so good that her pastor asked for a copy. He, in turn, gave it to his choir director who wrote music for it. Now her church members sing it almost every Sunday. The first time the choir director was going to introduce it to the church and surprise Barbara, her husband Bill, who knew about it, asked us to come to her church to hear the song too. So, Mother, my sisters, Gene and Leasa, and I went to Barbara's church. When they all sang Barbara's song, she cried. She was so humble and pleased to hear her poem that was made into a song. Her poem honored Jesus and so, she was humbled and honored to hear it sung with such love. I think not a one of our family had dry eyes that morning. God bless her.

God loves Barbara so much that He wants her in heaven with Him. It won't be long now and she will indeed be with her heavenly Father for all eternity. God bless you, Barbara. I love you so much and already miss you. I hope to join you and Mother some day, if it is God's will. I have been blessed to have three wonderful sisters who have always shown great love for one another. And then to have an adopted "baby" brother, our family has been greatly blessed. I love you all.