I fully intended to write some blogs about Rachel’s transition time and gap semester. But, I have been distracted. That’s the only word I can find.

I love fall because of college football, the beautiful colored artwork God paints in nature, Down syndrome walks, the crisp, cool air and more.  The past 16 falls have found me fretting over the start of school and IEP’s left unseen, paraprofessionals left untrained, and the starting over with a new team that came every year in spite of our best made plans.  Not this year and more on that next week.

Fall usually finds me more introspective and in more walks down memory lane. Memories of college days at the University of Arkansas dance before me. Yes, I love me some college football, but I love Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas.  I dreamed of it for years before attending. I loved college. I love college towns.  Memories of Baptist Student Union fall retreats complete with marshmallow fights, bonfires, long walks on campus, Shoney’s Big Boy visits and the gift of time with friends. Eternal friends. I mean who knew when I met these girls that we would still be friending almost 40 years later?

It started as a post-college “all-girls camp out” on Greers Ferry Lake. Over almost 40 years, we went through boyfriends and weddings, births of children, loss of children and parents,  a few health issues, children with special needs, parenting children, teens and adults, marriage and family woes and celebrations, hair coloring and lots of prayer for each other and those we loved.  All of this leads to my being distracted.

Just a little over three months ago, my sweet friend Robin was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Look it up and you will understand the sense of hopelessness the diagnosis inspires.

Robin, who I have been friends with for about 38 years. Robin, God’s faithful servant and follower. So my past few months have found me praying more than usual, group texting with college friends more than usual,  listening to vintage contemporary Christian music (thank you Alexa), looking through OLD pictures, and inspecting my own condition more than usual.

I felt a sense of urgency to see my precious friend. God granted me the opportunity to visit Robin twice in a two-week span in August. Then, just a little less that three months after her diagnosis, Robin left this earth for her heavenly home.  She will feel no more sorrow, no more pain. I trust in an all-knowing, all-powerful God. I trust I will see her again.  Even though I trust, I am sad.  My sadness is definitely more of a selfish sadness though.

When we visited around the beginning of August, she was in quite a lot of pain. She told us that she knew scripture says to be thankful. So she had willed herself to get up in the mornings and start going through the list of things she had to be thankful for. She said it had been remarkable to think through her life and ALL the blessings God has bestowed.  She was totally focused on God using this disease to point others to Him.

I do not remember the first time I met Robin. I do remember that she always had a natural beauty,  a sweet  nature, and a quiet but confident, abiding faith. Always. Even to her last breath, she trusted God and wanted everyone to look to Jesus. If you knew her, you would know that was her purpose, her focus – to let others see Jesus in her. And they did. We did.

Yes, I have been distracted and that’s not a bad thing. In fact at this time when we are transitioning to a new chapter of Rachel’s journey and ours, it has been good to spend some time seeking God’s direction and reflecting.  Thank you God for the gift of eternal friends.

Michael W. Smith’s “Friends are Friends Forever” was popular when we graduated college. Robin put together a slide show to that music for us. Do you know the song? If not, here are a few of the words and a link to the song. It is true you know. Friends are friends forever, if the Lord’s the Lord of them.