Beauty from Ashes

November 3, 1994:

Hard to believe that day was 17 years ago - a day that would forever change my life in so many ways. It started like any other day in the life of a college student, I got up and began to get ready for class...first class of the day was English...Ugh!

Entered the class with all my classmates and professor started teaching (ummm no can't remember the exact lesson - ha ha!) About half way through the class my brother-in-law Scott showed up at the door and called the teacher over - "Odd, but oh well" I thought. Until, they called me out of class and told me to take all my stuff with me. "This is not good..."

I remember Scott not really saying much except that there was a family emergency and they would tell me more at their apartment. Honestly I remember thinking that one of my Grandparents must have passed away - I could not have been more wrong....

Upon arriving at the apartment - I found my sister Michelle in tears and she just grabbed me. Scott then told me the words I will never forget "Ronnie - Sherri has died." Honestly, I remember only bits and pieces of those next few hours. I know I cried with Michelle, I know that my friends were there so quickly and I remember that Joel was there and he was so incredibly amazing through it all!

I do remember my friends Rachel and Sharon walking me back to my dorm room so that I could begin packing to go home to Colorado. I remember just going through the motions - so thankful they were there or who knows what I would have packed! Ha ha!

Even in the midst of our tragedy and sorrow - God is so good. The same day that was possibly the WORST day of my life - God in His wisdom orchestrated some important events that would also make it one of the BEST days of my life. Joel and I had been dating about 9 months - although we both had thought about marriage, it certainly wasn't something that we had talked about seriously. Joel had called his parents and let them know that my sister had passed away and that he was considering going to Colorado with me for the funeral and to just be there. His parents in no uncertain terms told him that they weren't in favor or supportive of this decision (granted I totally understand their thinking).

Joel made a decision that I will FOREVER remember - HE CHOSE ME! Joel chose to be there for me that day, he decided to miss classes and support me, he chose to be a solid rock for me. Not only did Joel go with me to Colorado - HE DROVE ME THERE! I don't know how to describe how much that meant to me. He decided to take me in his own car on an eight hour trip when I was an emotional wreck and shocked - HE CHOSE ME! Michelle and Scott took their car and Joel and I went in his.

In the middle of this tragic day - I knew one thing...Joel loved me enough to go against his parents and several friends and go with me to Colorado when my world was in turmoil. I knew that THIS was a man I wanted , no needed, to spend the rest of my life with - this was the man I would marry!

Yes, November 3, 1994 will for always be the day that my big sister Sherri went to be with Jesus; it will also forever be the day that I knew Joel was the man I would marry...

Each year on November 3 I take time to remember. I remember Sherri and how much I miss her and loved her. I remember the fun times, the happy times and even some of the hard times...This year I am choosing to remember that our God is SO amazing that he is able to make beauty from ashes. In the midst of my loss - God decided to show me what I had gained!

Note:

Many who are reading this may not have known that I lost a sister. Sherri was 23 when she went to be with Jesus. She had suffered from frequent migraines that would often keep her awake at night and sometimes caused her to pass out. This particular night, she had spent the night at some friend's home. She was sitting at the table late after not being able to sleep do to a migraine and passed out. When she fell, she fell between a door and a piece of furniture and sufficated- because of the fact that she didn't fall far, no one heard her fall - thus she wasn't found until the next morning. There is no definite medical reason for the migraines or her death - Jesus was just ready for her to come home to Him. For more about Sherri - feel free to read my Novemeber 2010 blog "Remembering Her".