Following Christ. Finding Joy. Fulfilling Dreams.

My dear sister Sara...

On September 24th, it will be two years.

Two years since I have been able to call and talk to you.

Two years since I have been able to see you and give you a hug.

Two years...

I have been trying to figure out why I have been feeling more emotional lately...Why do I feel like something is just not right?

Then it hit me. I felt the same way last year at this time. We are coming up on the anniversary of your death. Your journey to meet our Heavenly Father. It is amazing how those events can affect us, automatically, without us even realizing it.

In James1:2-3, Jesus says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."

Even though you are no longer with us on earth, I continue to learn so much from your amazing life. What is means to truly choose joy... My prayers have always focused on living a life that is reflective of Him and the path He wants me to walk. And then, faced with the trial of losing you and dad...
Little did I know, I was barely touching the surface of my walk with Christ. Little did  I know what "pure joy" and "trials" truly meant.

One of the last things you said to me was that you want people to continue learning, you want people to continue reading the messages you have written...but, you said, they must know, "It's not about me, it's about Him." That's the message you wanted people to hear.

Hope... Romans 12:12 says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

In your post from April 29, 2011, you wrote 5 minutes on "If I knew I could, I would..." In that post, you wrote, "If I knew I could, I would write the book everyone says they want." 

I have been joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer... I am working on getting that book published. I am working on getting your words... your words that have touched so many people, your words that came to you through Jesus...published. 

I am also trusting and finding joy in fulfilling a dream of continuing your discipleship through the development of a choose joy women's ministry. I am a bit nervous and overwhelmed... I am walking into unknown territory for me. But, I want to be intentional, I want to be patient, I want to be faithful in following the calling.

Being intentional...those words continue to run through my mind. If we are intentional about talking to Him, listening to Him and walking the path he has laid out for us, we will find joy and dreams will be fulfilled.

Thanks, Sara...for choosing to be intentional, for choosing joy, for choosing to witness to us. As you and dad are now so close to Jesus, please continue to guide me as I walk this journey...into unknown territory. :-)

All my love...your sis,

Laura

Words

Before Sara died, she asked me to speak at her wake. She didn't desire that I share with others memories of her. Rather, she asked that I speak about who she was in this world. She told me that she wanted people who came to see her as I spoke.  She also told me I wasn't allowed to cry. It would, she stated, "Make things less effective." Love her.  A friend who was present asked that I (Shannon) put it up for all of you, who were unable to join us at the service, to read.


.  .  .  .  .  .  .

Gail Caldwell wrote: "It's an old, old story. I had a friend and we shared everything, and then she died and so we shared that too."  

Words are powerful. Uniting. They shape our view of the world, ourselves, each other. Words, in the best cases, make us immortal. Words are how I found her. Faith is what brought us together.

A friend send me an email, asking me to pray for a mother who knew she was going to lose her baby girl and carried her to term anyway. I immediately prayed, and then got online to read something called a blog. First time I'd read one. In. My. Life. I took in the entries from first to last, with tears streaming. My heart ached. I prayed. I returned again and again to follow this mom's story. In the process? 

I found Sara.

Our friendship was wildly unexpected. I linked to gitzengirl.com and as I read I heard her voice. Honest. Full of Faith. Strong. True. Her words? They were her, and like a book waiting to be opened, I dove in. Heart first. Because that's how all of the great things in life are to be done. I sent an email explaining the similarities in our stories and assuring her that I'd never written to someone like this before, I wasn't creepy, and um, if she had some time, could we possibly correspond? She immediately replied with an, "Of course! I'd love to get to know you..." And, as it's said, the rest, for us, for was history. Day in, day out, doing "life" together. Only now, knowing what I do about her, does this response make me laugh. I'm quite sure that is how Sar answered every single person who contacted her. .

Sara did everything full throttle, both feet in, filled with intention and limitless enthusiasm, shown by the sparkle in her eyes for what most interested those she loved. She told me that the most important gift you could ever give someone was your full and undivided attention. Sara got it. She knew that to live well meant to treasure moments and seem them as gifts. She chose joy. Not happiness, which is as flimsy as a shirt blowing on a line in the breeze, but true heart joy which sustains through obstacles, disease, death. She make the hard choices. 

Every

Day

She chose community . Using her words to a build a life when her body failed her. She shared her faith boldly. She was real. Alive. Present in every moment. She made those around her and those who shared her world via her words desire to enjoy their days as she would have...

No going back

No regrets

...taking the time to feel the sun kiss their cheeks and cause freckles, which she so missed seeing on her own. Sara lived. 

Every 

Single

Day

She was a daughter, a sister, a friend. She loved to sing. She loved to dance. She made the world's best volcano cake. She adored cheese...and Oreos, frozen and dipped in peanut butter. Some have called her inspirational. She was, but not intentionally. Honestly though? To me? She's simply Sara, my best friend. The one with the snort-filled laugh who made up songs for everything. She had eyes that twinkled and hugs that filled you up way past overflowing. She was my heart.

And here she is, proclaiming that it's not about her, in full Sara-get-the-last-word fashion. But this time? I have to disagree. Because it is about her, what He's done through her.It's about her taking the time to teach us through her words and her beautiful life how to be genuine and honest. How to love the Lord and follow Him. How to make our lives more outward focused than in. Loving well. Living well. Choosing joy. That was our gitz. And because here, in this place, she deserves the final word, I'll leave you with hers...

"Make it about Him, not you. Enjoy every second. Choose joy."

Well said, good and faithful servant. Well said.

...

Arrangements

Hello Friends,

Stopping in to let all of you know the arrangements for sweet Sara.

The wake (visitation) will take place on Tuesday evening, September 27th, from 5-8 p.m. at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Algona, IA.

The funeral will also be at St. Cecilia's at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, September 28th, in Algona, IA.

There will be a memorial service on Thursday, September 29th, at St. Stephens Catholic Church in Cedar Falls, IA at 6:30 p.m.

The family is exploring the feasibility of doing a webcast of the visitation/service. I'll post further details as they become available.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Algona is a small community, but as of this posting, rooms are available at Sisters Inn and Burr Oak Motel. West Bend, IA also has a few hotels and is in close proximity to Algona.

For further information, please visit the funeral home site that is handling arrangements here.

Shannon

UPDATE:

I've received many comments/emails regarding correspondence and memorial contributions. I've updated below with that information, as well as links to the organizations that were close to Sara's heart.

Cards may be sent to the family, care of Jane Frankl (Sara's Mom) at the following address:

Jane Frankl
405 Timber Estates
Algona, Iowa 50511

Memorial Contributions/In Lieu of Flowers:

Sara was quite passionate about World Vision, Relay for Life, and St. Stephens Catholic Church in Cedar Falls, IA.  In lieu of flowers, she suggested that you purchase books and donate them to an organization close to your heart.

Mourning into Dancing

Hi Friends,
Shannon here to let everyone know that at 11:14 pm tonight, Sara died peacefully with her mother and brother at her side.  Arrangements are pending, and I'll be back with information on the family's wishes as how best to honor her; please continue to hold them close in prayer.

I know that in Psalm 30:11 it says, "You have turned my mourning into dancing..."

I'm quite sure that there's a whole lot of that going on right now in Heaven.