IN MEMORY OF PHYLLIS

I couldn't sleep last night.  I went to bed, but my brain just wouldn't stop.  I had spoken with my sister and we began talking about a friend, a very special friend, to both of us.

Any loss of a friend is tragic, but this one was just so sad.  It didn't just happen ... It's been awhile.  But I want to pay tribute to someone who was very special to me.

I met Phyllis in the 1960s.  I was young and she was married with a family already, so we didn't become friends until much later.  But she and her family joined the Church my family attended.  Little did I know that day when they walked in what a remarkable impression she would one day make on my life.
 

There are so many beautiful memories of this beautiful woman.  I remember attending a Maundy Thursday service where Phyllis dressed as a Biblical woman (as seen here in a portrait done by my sister Linda).  I've never forgotten it and was so touched by how she acted her part so humbly and so realistically.  I also remember sitting by her in church and how devoted she was to taking notes of the sermon and writing down each and every name for which prayer had been requested.  And I knew that every single person on that list would be prayed for until their needs were met because Phyllis was a true PRAYER WARRIOR!  When your name made it to one of her many Prayer Notebooks, she took that as seriously as anyone possibly could. I can still see her marking passages in her Bible and always reading a new Christian book that she would lend to you.

When our Mother died, Phyllis was right there for us ... and always, one of her hugs could make you feel so loved. She always put others first, and was one of the few people I know that truly had a Servant's Heart. 

She and I shared a common bond with our Diabetes.  I remember attending a Diabetic Seminar with her when she was first diagnosed, and like everything else, she put her whole heart into that. 

But more than anything, Phyllis was my Spiritual Mentor ... someone whose life I would be so proud to think mine might mirror.  I will forever pattern my faith and my spiritual life after my Friend.  My prayer is that one day, someone will see me that that I have always seen Phyllis.

And so, now that I've brought myself to tears ... let me just say that I love you Phyllis Anderson.  I know you are in Heaven and that my Mom is right there with you.  I'm blessed to have two Guardian Angels in both of you ... Two special ladies who were Angels on Earth, now with the Angels in Heaven.