Remembering Sandra

Today, my younger sister would have turned 57.  I’ll turn 58 in a few days. My sweet sister passed away this past year on May 29th.

It was a Sunday morning in 1962. My mother knew it was time. My eldest sister, Janet took care of things on the homefront while mom and dad made their way to the hospital. It would not be until the evening when 15 year old Janet would get a call saying that she had a new baby sister but not to get too excited because she may not make it home.

Sandra was born with a hole in her heart. The doctors in 1962 were not too optimistic.  Thankfully, Sandra Kay did come home.

Like all of her siblings, she grew up knowing the love of godly parents and a home that made a priority of knowing Christ and being faithful to His work, in missions, in the local church, in all of life.

Sandra loved life. She laughed easily.

She loved Jesus and the church and being a part of whatever was going on. Sandra mostly loved to sing. She loved hymns and choirs and any chance to participate in singing.  After her funeral, the family gathered and sang a few hymns around the piano. While we struggled to remember all the words it didn’t escape any of us that it was Sandra we missed. She new all the words. Of all the verses.

I miss my sister. I know God’s ways are greater than ours. Instead of wondering why she died so young, I choose to praise Him that she came home from that hospital and lived an amazing life that impacted hundreds of people through her love of teaching and singing and brightening up every room she ever walked entered!

Sandra’s favorite dessert was cookies. So today I enjoyed a cookie. Okay, maybe two.  Sandra would have it that way.