There's something about illness that seems to either bring out the best or the worst in people. In some cases, people chose to let their circumstances make them bitter and depressed. But if there ever was a polar opposite of such behavior, it was (and still is) Dede.
She was my Administrator when I first joined staff... and while I didn't know her personally that well, I can testify that she was a hard worker, she loved the team and was often the glue that kept us Penguenos (team name) together through thick and thin.
Life is truly uncertain, but one thing remains and that is the Love of Christ, in whom we place our trust and Eternity. Right now I just know she's resting her beautiful face on the Shoulder of Jesus, with no more pain and full of Joy unspeakable.
How Gracious the Father who knows that we are only dust... He takes us out of a broken world and into His Presence in a moment.
And it's in times like these we're reminded of our own frailty, that life could be gone at any given time. Like Dede, let us fight the good fight, throw off that which weighs us down and run to win the Good race... let us be compelled to live like we ourselves are dying... love, forgive, reach out without fear, so that we may live in Christ, both here and forever in Eternity.
Dede, we miss you and love you. By the Grace of God, Faith and much prayer, you fought for eight years and won. Rest in peace and well done, sweetheart... well done.
Romans 8:38-39 said:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
