"Pull up your boot straps!" "Loving words, loving words!" "You are very special to me." I miss hearing these words every moment of every single day. More than that, I miss the woman who spoke them. She was born in the middle, sandwiched between two brothers, my father being the younger. I can imagine from an early age, she took her place as the rock of our family. She loved God, her family, her friends, her church, and life. If I turn out to be half the sister, wife, mother, friend, and aunt that she was, I will consider my life a success. I was not her daughter by blood, but she made me feel special and loved; she encouraged me, punished me, challenged me, and comforted me; she was my chauffeur, my cook, my nurse, and anything I needed her to be. She was there when my parents got divorced and there when I married the love of my life. She set me straight when I wandered from the straight and narrow and was the first person I talked to the night I accepted Jesus as my Savior. Through every season of life, whether good or bad, she was there. Words can never describe what she means to me.
I remember our living room dance parties, her twisting to Chubby Checker or singing "Big John"; weekend after weekend of Sharks softball tournaments and our constant argument about me wearing enough sunblock; summers at camp, camping, and on the boat; shopping for Easter dresses and Black Friday deals; sleep overs at her house that seemed to last all summer; Christmas candy, Halloween stakeouts and 4th of July fireworks. Times spent with her meant good times; times filled with laughter, love, lessons, discipline, music, fun, honesty, great cooking, kindness, encouragement, and genuine love.
So many emotions overflow along with the memories I have of her, but one thing is constant, love resonates throughout each and every one. One of her most noticeable, meaningful gifts was showing love. If you were fortunate enough to have known my aunt, you likely considered yourself one of her favorite people. She was good at that, good at making everyone she met feel special, feel loved. She always went out of her way to show others that she loved them and through that, remind them that God did as well. Her door was always open, her table never lacking extra seats, her ear always eager to listen, and her mind full of useful, valuable advice. Speaking honestly, whether you liked it or not, was sewn into her fabric, but she always did so out of love. Many times I have said that the love I experienced being my aunt's niece is the closest thing I would ever experience on this earth to that love that God has for me.
On January 2nd, 2014, my aunt left this earth after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Today is #GivingTuesday. When I was thinking about what I was going to give today, my mind drifted, as it often does, to my aunt. Even up until her very last breath, each and every minute of her life was filled with giving. Every word, action, gesture was meant to encourage, help, build up, or reassure someone who needed exactly that. One day of giving is great, but I want to live my life as courageously and gracefully as my aunt, in a perpetual state of giving. So today, I decided to give something in memory of her amazing life, her legacy of love, and her spirit of giving.
Today I gave a donation in memory of my Aunt Cindy to the Lustgarten Foundation supporting pancreatic cancer research. Hopefully, my legacy can be half as extraordinary as hers.
Visit the Lustgarten Foundation and #GivingTuesday online to learn more!
DAILY MOTIVATION:
Check out this video, "Giving Is The Best Communication". AMAZING!
I remember our living room dance parties, her twisting to Chubby Checker or singing "Big John"; weekend after weekend of Sharks softball tournaments and our constant argument about me wearing enough sunblock; summers at camp, camping, and on the boat; shopping for Easter dresses and Black Friday deals; sleep overs at her house that seemed to last all summer; Christmas candy, Halloween stakeouts and 4th of July fireworks. Times spent with her meant good times; times filled with laughter, love, lessons, discipline, music, fun, honesty, great cooking, kindness, encouragement, and genuine love.
So many emotions overflow along with the memories I have of her, but one thing is constant, love resonates throughout each and every one. One of her most noticeable, meaningful gifts was showing love. If you were fortunate enough to have known my aunt, you likely considered yourself one of her favorite people. She was good at that, good at making everyone she met feel special, feel loved. She always went out of her way to show others that she loved them and through that, remind them that God did as well. Her door was always open, her table never lacking extra seats, her ear always eager to listen, and her mind full of useful, valuable advice. Speaking honestly, whether you liked it or not, was sewn into her fabric, but she always did so out of love. Many times I have said that the love I experienced being my aunt's niece is the closest thing I would ever experience on this earth to that love that God has for me.
On January 2nd, 2014, my aunt left this earth after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Today is #GivingTuesday. When I was thinking about what I was going to give today, my mind drifted, as it often does, to my aunt. Even up until her very last breath, each and every minute of her life was filled with giving. Every word, action, gesture was meant to encourage, help, build up, or reassure someone who needed exactly that. One day of giving is great, but I want to live my life as courageously and gracefully as my aunt, in a perpetual state of giving. So today, I decided to give something in memory of her amazing life, her legacy of love, and her spirit of giving.
Today I gave a donation in memory of my Aunt Cindy to the Lustgarten Foundation supporting pancreatic cancer research. Hopefully, my legacy can be half as extraordinary as hers.
Visit the Lustgarten Foundation and #GivingTuesday online to learn more!
DAILY MOTIVATION:
Check out this video, "Giving Is The Best Communication". AMAZING!
Love In Christ,
Cori