Remembering Lynn...

It is with a very heavy heart that I share that my friend Lynn Brookside passed away, I found out yesterday on my phone during a belated birthday celebration for my son Jonathan. My heart just broke thinking the last message I got from Lynn was on on my blog last week saying how much she was looking forward to hearing how his swim meet went. I hadn't blogged about it yet being so busy with summer stuff and our release and blog hops after we returned, and now it's too late.* (A sad emoticon at the end of that sentence wouldn't even begin to cover how I feel about not doing that.)

What I regret even more, is that I'd planned to do a Q & A about her on my blog as a follow up to some of the cards she made with the Wild Flowers set, so I, and my readers, would know more about this dear woman who was always ready with wonderful compliments for people and loved participating in the StampTV community and uploading her own art, which by the way, was absolutely beautiful. Just look at this card she made, less than a week ago! It's so full of joy and abundance.

She knew I planned to do that, I just hadn't sent the questions, and of course she waited patiently, on me, and I never got around to it. Questions like, Can you tell us more about your condition? How are you able to press through pain and craft? How did you get started stamping? What's your favorite Bible verse? And now I'll never know, at least on this side of eternity...I feel terrible that I left things undone...(I invite any of you to share these answers below, if you know)

There's a LOT I don't know about Lynn. I know she lived in California, but don't know how old she was or what she looked like. She represented herself with this sweet kitten avatar on StampTV. Seated, content, in the flowers. I'd just always imagined her as someone with smile on her face and a light in her eyes.

I don't know about her family, although I got the impression she didn't have them around. I was told this weekend that, sadly, they were estranged. Just recently though she 'liked" my sons' school on Facebook to help their school earn gift cards for supplies, since she didn't have any children in school of her own she wanted to help mine out! She was so sweet to think of things like that, and seemed overjoyed when I replied thanking her for "adopting my little ones.

I do know she had chronic pain. I'm not sure she even wanted to tell me all the physical problems she had, (perhaps that would have seemed too much like complaining) because I asked where the pain was if I could pray about it specifically, but she never responded with details. Lynn didn't define herself by those problems, and other than praying about it, it didn't really come up in our correspondence again. She had too many things she was excited about, like praying for others, and making cards that would brighten someone's day. (I know she LOVED making cards!)

I know she was very humble. When I read on Facebook not too long ago, she was praying God would take her life because she was suffering so much pain physically I wrote and asked if we could do a card drive for her. Her response was that there other people in more need of cards than she. Just knowing people would want to do something like that for was enough to lift her spirit.

I know she was in a wheelchair, which made it almost impossible for her to get out, even to church, which was very difficult for her not to have that fellowship or time to worship. Living alone made the friends she had online that much more precious to her.

I know she believed the best about people. I'm still amazed, humbled, and thankful how generously she wrote to me and prayed for me, when she knew so little about who I was.

I know she was a Christian. Not just because she was a praying person, but because she knew Jesus. That's how our friendship and correspondence began about 6 months ago, that she must have known I was a Christian also from a previous stamp set and from reading my blog, and she reached out to me requesting I create a new set that contained more Bible verses. The funny thing was, "Wild Flowers" had already been etched in rubber and was scheduled for release the very next week , yet I had completed it almost two years ago at the same time I was working on Wild at Heart. Would she like a copy? Once she saw it, she said she felt it was made just for her. That we finally brought it out at that time, made me feel like it was God's timing that it was meant for Lynn.

And, because she knew Jesus, I know that she is out of out of her wheelchair today dancing with angels. That was an image that comforted me last night as I was laying awake so sad and regretting that things felt so unfinished between us. Praise God!

Finally I will share something Lynn wrote to me in February after I shared the Bible verse (But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." which really helped me when I was having trouble with my hand, although my pain and problem was nothing compared to what she was dealing with) Her response in italics:

"The scriptures you shared, are, indeed, ones that I cling to a lot. Otherwise, I would be caught in a web of despair with no way out. I don't know WHY God is allowing this to happen in my life, but I'm content to know that He has a purpose and that it's not a senseless accident. He knows what He's doing and that's (usually) enough for me. Sometimes, like today, though, I catch myself looking down at my pain rather than up at Him. Your message brought me right out of that.

Thank you, also, for sending me to your blog entry where you discussed your own bout with injury and pain. I'm praising God that He didn't keep you there but allowed you to resume creating things for other people's benefit -- mine in particular.

Being a shut-in means not getting to church or to a Bible study and so messages like yours make a world of difference to me. You've ministered to my heart, today, in a way no one else has in a very long time."

It's so amazing how God can use everything that happens to us, to just bless and minister to one another back and forth, how I could feel grateful that I had been through something difficult to witness to her what helped me, and that experience. I also knew Lynn had probably read that verse a hundred times but being able to talk about that together really created a strong bond and trust between us. God's word is never wasted. What if I hadn't shared it that day?
Lynn's response of course, lifted me up too, reminding me how blessed I am and not to sweat the small stuff I can get so wrapped up in. And her emails that I've saved will continue to do so, about what kind of example I need to be to others when things are tough. To always find my hope and contentment in Him, not my circumstances.

Lynn, you earned your rest and finished your work, being salt and light on this earth. Thank you, for blessing me with your prayers and kindness. The memory of your example of encouraging others and handling the worst trials with grace will be with me forever. Thank you for caring about my family, for praying for my boys, and praying for my success with professional projects and my art. Thank you for sharing the vision you had for the work that God intends to do through me. I hope I have the courage and energy to accomplish it all. As you would say, "Bear Hugs"

"Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil 1:6

Honor Lynn today and bless yourself by going through her gallery and seeing that "stamp of herself" she left on the world and chose to reveal to all of us, things of beauty, not pain, and her concern and caring for others (as well as how much she loved Gina K stamps! What a fan!) BTW, I just spied this one from two years ago, checking to see how long she has been an STV member, called "Not Alone". The sentiment, all things considered, gives me chills. It's like a message to me to pick myself up.

I could go on and on about Lynn but honestly this is all the energy I have for this now, I'm feeling defeated by the loss as well as inspired at the same time recounting what a remarkable person she was. Sorry for the rambling or if parts don't make sense, it's the best I can manage. I'll close by saying that I pray that all of you who read this today will go send that card or make that phone call you've been putting off because life is busy or because "there will be time tomorrow." We don't know what the future holds. Don't wait.

Thanks for reading. Several StampTV members are working on finding addresses or details for those of you who might want to do something more for Lynn, so stay tuned. Happy Sunday, and God bless!

*PS I *will* share about the swim meet. That is next. When I cried this morning that I left that undone and she had been looking forward to it, William put his arms around my neck and said, "Mama, can't you ask God to tell her for you?"