Ken's sister Mary Lou, who was ninety-two, left us Saturday to be with the Lord and join all of the members of her family.  They are all gone now.  But it is such a blessing to know that they were all Christians.  I know where they are.  We will celebrate her life on Wednesday.

I remember the day Ken took me to meet her.  I was eighteen years old.  Ken had been trying to convince me to marry him, and I think he hoped Mary Lou would tip the scales in his favor.  She was certainly a wonderful person.  When I walked into her house, she smiled at me with a big welcome that said, "We hope you say yes."

Ken adored her.  So did we all.  I will miss the reminiscing with her about the things that only we knew.  Things of long ago.

Ken and Mary Lou's mother and father were such a big part of my growing up.  Their mother, Mary Jane, was my Sunday School teacher.  Their father, "Preacher," was the pastor of my church and baptized me when I accepted Christ.

Although I didn't know Mary Lou when I was growing up, our parents were good friends.  I was in the second grade when Preacher accepted the pastorate at our church.  Mary Lou had already left for college.  But years later, from the day I met her, I loved her.  And she loved me.

Life is so short.  And losing the people you love is hard.  But even harder is losing the people who love you.  There aren't that many of them.