Deanna's Crown

With 2 Timothy 4:7-8 in my mind, my very last words spoken to Deanna last week Friday were: “Deanna, I love you. You changed my life and I will never forget you. You will remain in my heart forever. Now…. go get your crown.”

I am not surprised that it is raining here today. My heart is heavy. God knows my pain. God knows many people hurt today, because Deanna has finished her race. I am amazed at God’s timing in Deanna’s passing. We sang several songs about God’s grace in my church yesterday, we also prayed fervently for Deanna and those who love her. Grace was the hardest thing for Deanna to grasp (not like I fully understand it either, though). One song in particular sticks in my mind today “Grace Like Rain” by Todd Agnew. The words to that song are very similar to “Amazing Grace”. The chorus says: “Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me. Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away”. After praying for Deanna and while we were singing this song, Deanna slipped away and entered eternity, to claim her crown of righteousness. Clean. Free of pain. A new body. Hallelujah!

I have been thinking about Deanna a lot today. A friend wrote these words on my Facebook wall about Deanna: “From what you said about her she loved life and apologized to no one for enjoying each minute. I imagine her enjoying heaven to its fullest too. She will keep them all on their toes.”

And yes that was Deanna. She was a good, honest person, who treated people as she wanted to be treated. She loved life! What you saw was what you got. If she was unhappy, you knew it. If she was happy, you knew it. She never “played the games” that people can play. She loved her boys and all she ever really wanted was to be the best mom to them and to help them find their way. She was a very good person, I will miss her dearly. She taught me about the kind of person that I wanted to be. I am a better person for having known her.

She was a great friend. These words describe who she was to me:
A true friend is one who
Knows you as you really are,
Understands where you've been,
Accepts who you've become,
And still gently invites you to grow.

Rest in peace, Deanna. You fought a good fight. You gave a valiant effort as you pursued victory in trying to conquer the battle you faced. You never gave up. Your body could take nothing more. You exhausted everything possible in your fight. You will never be forgotten. And remember…. I want a tan house, right next to yours. See you later, my friend.


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