Sam and Kerri
God has woven some amazing people into my life. Perhaps someday I'll start a list of them, but on purpose not finish it, as I know God will continue to add more wonderful people to my journey.
However, last week, two of them passed away. Their physical bodies tired of pain and suffering, God delivered them out of this world and into their home with Him. While my world feels dark without them, my life is so much brighter with their memories. In a very small way, I'd like to honor them now...
I met Sam McReynolds in August of 1980 when Mark and I moved to Abilene. I was a 22-year-old bride of one year and I thought my husband had moved me to the end of the Earth! Mark taught at ACU and we worshipped at Eleventh and Willis Church of Christ. Both places provided us a feeling of family. Sam, was a Math professor at ACU and a member of Eleventh and Willis, so we got a double dip with him! Sam never married and yet, had a huge family of those who loved him dearly. He was quiet and gentle, generous and funny, a man of God. I have so many lovely memories of Sam, but I will only share two.
When I was pregnant with Katie, I was due May 3rd. Sam's birthday was May 2nd and he told me for months "it would be just fine if you'd have that baby on my birthday!" Then he went on to tell me how his mother had always made him a Cherry Pie for his birthday and he had not had one since she died. Well, I did not give birth to Katie until May 25th! So, the least I could do was bake Sam a Cherry Pie for his birthday. And, I continued that for the next five years we lived in Abilene. I could only hope that pie gave him half as much joy as he gave our family. Below is a picture of him holding Katie (age 10 months) at Mark’s surprise 30th birthday party.
My second memory of Sam is from just one year ago this past weekend. Mark was admitted to hospital with what turned out to be a malignant tumor. He was in the hospital for most of three weeks and had a long recuperation period. (Let me add our praise here that Mark is now 100% cancer free!) But, while Mark was in the hospital, Sam came up to visit Mark about every other day and on the days he didn’t come up, he called to check on him. Even as recent as this past fall, Sam called the house one day and said he just wanted to know how Mark was doing and what the doctors were telling him. Sam was faithful, caring and loving. Now he’s in the arms of a faithful, caring and loving Jesus.
If God had not lead us back to Abilene almost three years ago now, I would not have had the abundant blessing of knowing Kerri Lane. I first met Kerri at Highland Church of Christ. Now Highland is a big church at around 2000 or so members. I had seen Kerri from time to time, but didn’t know who she was. You couldn’t miss Kerri really. She had a smile and laugh that was ten times more contagious than any flu bug! The following summer after we moved here, I attended a Ladies Bible Class and I saw Kerri sitting at a table and I had wanted to meet her so I went and sat down across from her. Turns out, that she was the discussion leader for our table and that was the perfect title for her! Not that we discussed our lesson much from that day, but we had lots of good sharing time amongst the wonderful women at our table and that is when I learned a lot about Kerri and her girls and their life. That is the summer when Katie was traveling alone in Australia on a mission trip with Lipscomb University. So, I was constantly asking the women at my table to pray for her safety. Kerri would stop me at church from time to time and ask me about Katie and how she was doing. When Katie arrived back in the states, she moved to Abilene and visited Highland with us and I can remember Kerri coming up and saying, “is this our Katie I’ve been praying for all summer?” Little did we know then (but God knew) how Katie would come to love Kerri and their lives be forever entwined.
Kerri lost her ten-month battle with Melanoma last week. She was a prayer warrior like I’ve never known! She blessed me richly and I will continue to be blessed by loving her two very young daughters, Carlee and Jolee. Below is picture that I took of Kerri, Carlee and Jolee as Kerri was getting ready to leave for M.D. Anderson to be evaluated for her disease. I wanted her to have great pictures of the girls to take with her since they had to stay behind. While I was photographing them, I never once thought that Kerri wouldn’t survive this illness nor that this picture would become somewhat “famous” around here. I think this will shape how I photograph people for years to come. I love you, Kerri.
However, last week, two of them passed away. Their physical bodies tired of pain and suffering, God delivered them out of this world and into their home with Him. While my world feels dark without them, my life is so much brighter with their memories. In a very small way, I'd like to honor them now...
I met Sam McReynolds in August of 1980 when Mark and I moved to Abilene. I was a 22-year-old bride of one year and I thought my husband had moved me to the end of the Earth! Mark taught at ACU and we worshipped at Eleventh and Willis Church of Christ. Both places provided us a feeling of family. Sam, was a Math professor at ACU and a member of Eleventh and Willis, so we got a double dip with him! Sam never married and yet, had a huge family of those who loved him dearly. He was quiet and gentle, generous and funny, a man of God. I have so many lovely memories of Sam, but I will only share two.
When I was pregnant with Katie, I was due May 3rd. Sam's birthday was May 2nd and he told me for months "it would be just fine if you'd have that baby on my birthday!" Then he went on to tell me how his mother had always made him a Cherry Pie for his birthday and he had not had one since she died. Well, I did not give birth to Katie until May 25th! So, the least I could do was bake Sam a Cherry Pie for his birthday. And, I continued that for the next five years we lived in Abilene. I could only hope that pie gave him half as much joy as he gave our family. Below is a picture of him holding Katie (age 10 months) at Mark’s surprise 30th birthday party.
My second memory of Sam is from just one year ago this past weekend. Mark was admitted to hospital with what turned out to be a malignant tumor. He was in the hospital for most of three weeks and had a long recuperation period. (Let me add our praise here that Mark is now 100% cancer free!) But, while Mark was in the hospital, Sam came up to visit Mark about every other day and on the days he didn’t come up, he called to check on him. Even as recent as this past fall, Sam called the house one day and said he just wanted to know how Mark was doing and what the doctors were telling him. Sam was faithful, caring and loving. Now he’s in the arms of a faithful, caring and loving Jesus.
If God had not lead us back to Abilene almost three years ago now, I would not have had the abundant blessing of knowing Kerri Lane. I first met Kerri at Highland Church of Christ. Now Highland is a big church at around 2000 or so members. I had seen Kerri from time to time, but didn’t know who she was. You couldn’t miss Kerri really. She had a smile and laugh that was ten times more contagious than any flu bug! The following summer after we moved here, I attended a Ladies Bible Class and I saw Kerri sitting at a table and I had wanted to meet her so I went and sat down across from her. Turns out, that she was the discussion leader for our table and that was the perfect title for her! Not that we discussed our lesson much from that day, but we had lots of good sharing time amongst the wonderful women at our table and that is when I learned a lot about Kerri and her girls and their life. That is the summer when Katie was traveling alone in Australia on a mission trip with Lipscomb University. So, I was constantly asking the women at my table to pray for her safety. Kerri would stop me at church from time to time and ask me about Katie and how she was doing. When Katie arrived back in the states, she moved to Abilene and visited Highland with us and I can remember Kerri coming up and saying, “is this our Katie I’ve been praying for all summer?” Little did we know then (but God knew) how Katie would come to love Kerri and their lives be forever entwined.
Kerri lost her ten-month battle with Melanoma last week. She was a prayer warrior like I’ve never known! She blessed me richly and I will continue to be blessed by loving her two very young daughters, Carlee and Jolee. Below is picture that I took of Kerri, Carlee and Jolee as Kerri was getting ready to leave for M.D. Anderson to be evaluated for her disease. I wanted her to have great pictures of the girls to take with her since they had to stay behind. While I was photographing them, I never once thought that Kerri wouldn’t survive this illness nor that this picture would become somewhat “famous” around here. I think this will shape how I photograph people for years to come. I love you, Kerri.
posted by Debbie at
Monday, February 27, 2006
2 Comments:
A beautiful tribute to two beautiful souls. Heaven is much brighter this week with Sam and Kerri there. I had Sam for a math class -- and adored him, of course.
By
Sarah, at 8:19 AM
I'm so glad you finally posted again!! And what a beautiful post it is. You did great justice to both Sam (who I never had the pleasure of meeting but you made me wish I had)and Kerri (who I loved dearly). Thanks, Debbie.
By
Candy, at 5:20 AM
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