Prayer Request Sunday-Life and Death

Prayer Request Sunday...

  It seems like ages since I have been able to sit and compose a thought here. 

Life has been busy, perhaps simplifying last month changed my perspective on blogging time.  Perhaps it was because within a few days of each other, I lost two men who were part of my family.  Men who influenced my husband and I to live the life we are living.  I had two funerals on the same day and a heart that is heavy with the thought that no longer will they grace my life here on this earth.

However, both men were Christians and someday  I will join them in heaven, for now I will love on their wives and hope that both of these women find comfort in those who are left to help them carrying on. 

I want to be the kind of person these men were, yet I find that I am not there yet.  They were true lovers of people, they were servants through and through, 24/7.  They did for others because of love, not because of guilt, or for others to notice, 

but because they truly loved others and they loved their God.  

Both of these men had impacted hundreds of people in their life time.  They had begun touching lives in their youths and continued on until God called them home. We waited for over 2 hours to say our condolences to Vinnie Diana's wife and family.  The line of people snaked down the street, police were hired to help with the traffic during the calling hours. People of all ages had been touched and blessed by this man-who by God's grace had lived life to the fullest and even in pain reached out his life to touch others right up to the end.

Vinnie and his family began to touch my life when I was just a girl...he was the second Christian family I ever met..He showed me through His beautiful family how to be a Christian.  At his table I saw how to say grace and give thanks to God.  In his home I learned what family should look like.  Through his *large* family (7 children) I saw love constantly on display for the world to see.  I saw respect and honor given to parents and true love given from parent to children and each child back to both parents. Each child has left the nest, but remains an active and loving part of each others lives.  I have never in my life seen *HONOR your Father and Mother* lived out in such perfection.  It makes me wonder how they set this foundation into being way back when.  Perhaps, Gloria can mentor me in raising my brood in such a manner.

I watched this family for many many years- beginning with my friendship with a girl who lived near them...then  later, my husband's first job in his field was begun as Vinnie welcomed him into 'his family'...it was never just a business, always about family.  They were some of our fondest memories, being part of their doings, both inside and outside of work.  We are thankful for the years we had under Vinnie's wing, we only wish they continued, but God had other plan's for my husbands career.

We will always hold them in our hearts, they will always be *our family.*  

The second man showed me weekly his servants heart through his selfless service to His God in our church.  Paul Euliano Sr.  was a lover of God!  He loved to make people comfortable and at home within the church family. Paulie also did this outside the church walls-a man after God's own heart truly.  He spent himself to allow others to be blessed.  He had the gift of conversation and would quickly draw you in and make you feel like you were the only person in the world.  He was always comfortable and always generous with his time.  

Often we spoke of family and how quickly life passes.  He took a great interest in my family and was always asking how each was doing. He encouraged me in parenting and in raising my sons.  

Paulie had a heart for us and each adoption God called us to.  He was sometimes perplexed by another *call*-perhaps that we went from 3 to 6 children...then to 7 and 8 quickly, as God led the way.  I think maybe it made his head spin, but he laughed and would always ask how we were doing and if we needed anything.  Of course his wife Betty did the same.  Paulie and Betty loved us and blessed us over and over.

Paulie always made me comfortable and welcomed in my church, though he was unaware of my sometime struggle with feeling at home there.  What a blessing to see his face greet me at the door, with a hug and a , "Hi Kimmie!"  I will miss him terribly, truly I loved him. Now I will be blessed to love his own and help them with their tremendous loss.

Last night as I put Princess Mercy to bed, she said, "Mama, I miss Mr. Euliano already."  Out of the mouth of babes.  

We rejoice that these men are now pain free and with Jesus in Heaven.  May God strengthen us to do the task as they did.  May our lives, my life, bring God as much glory as theirs did.  I am emptying myself and hoping that He will let me influence others too.  May people look at my life and my family and see Him, may my life point to Jesus and His never failing goodness,

the way theirs did. 

Life is short...and I want to live it to the fullest!

Would you like prayer...? I'd love to pray with you this week...