friends, 

words cannot express my gratitude for all of your support.

your phone calls, text messages, running errands for me, cleaning my room, doing my laundry, bringing food over for my family, sitting with me in my sorrow and encouraging me, sending flowers, dropping little gifts by my house to cheer me up, sitting up at the hospital with me into the wee hours of the night, sending cards in the mail, blogging your words of concern and love, crying with me, praying for us.

i have experienced the body of christ in such a beautiful way. all of your support, whether it was large or small, has helped me through the past 2 weeks. i have felt like i have an army behind me, praying for and supporting us.

as of yesterday, my mom has been with Jesus for a week. it seems like she left forever ago, considering how much it takes out of you to do a funeral and everything that surrounds it. i am still processing, learning how to grieve and learning a new trust in my Saviour. thank you for praying for us and carrying us through.

thank you for all you have done, from the bottom of my heart.

Heavenly Realm

K. Hooper sent us ladies this today, from PCBC:

"We live for heaven when we care more for people's eternal souls than for their temporal approval; when we use our money to build God's kingdom more than our own; when we ask God to use our suffering more than to solve it; when we remember that this life is the car and not the house, the road and not the destination; when we make sure every day that we're ready to die."

One part over the other is more convicting. I remember recently talking with the Larsens about how heaven is here on earth, living inside of us. His Holy Spirit is living and breathing, wanting more oxygen, that we, our silly selves can let have.

Linds and I also went backpacking for a week, back in the good ol' days of high school. A vivid memory is painted in my mind when I think of the verse below. Lin, Julie, Laurel, and I were walking in a back to back line up the mountain. We recited, in attempt to memorize, the verse (+ the rest of the chapter) from the first person to the back. We had ditched Tom Young & the guys...and made a time of our own...to do such as this:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God - Col 3

These summer mornings are regularly visisted on the phone with Laurel, whether I'm at work, on the way to work, or lazying around not going to work. Laurel has encouraged me to continually press on to the heavenly things of life & really dig for more than what is just in front of us. Thank you God.

This morning, I went to the Omni Fort Worth job site, with Julianne. We were both wearing dresses. On a construction site, one must wear pants and boots. Not knowing we were going onto site, we didn't wear boots or pants. Therefore, we had to borrow them. From the Omni Fort Worth project director. He had extra jeans in his office. Then he proceeded to give me the belt ON his waist. I tucked my dress into Bruce's pants. Thats right. Good thing Bruce is one of the most down to earth men I know....

  

The Dot Went Home.

Dottie got to go home today. So tonight, that's where I was. She's tiny, pretty, & fragile. Love her.

As you know, Woods just lost her daddy too. I think all of us (micro: us girls; macro: the larger community) have a hard time making sense of these times & knowing how to (re)act. Mel emailed this, and assuredly reinstates our current situations:

The great paradox of life is that those who lose their lives will gain them. This paradox becomes visible in very ordinary situations. If we cling to our friends, we may lose them, but when we are nonpossessive in our relationships, we will make many friends. When fame is what we seek and desire, it often vanishes as soon as we acquire it, but when we have no need to be known, we might be remembered long after our deaths. When we want to be in the center, we easily end up on the margins, but when we are free enough to be wherever we must be, we find ourselves often in the center. Giving away our lives for others is the greatest of all human arts. This will gain us our lives. - Henri Nouwen

Let's honor Debra Diane Killingsworth


Thursday, 02/24/2008, 2 PM
Grace Outreach Center
3301 Preston Road
Plano, Texas 75093
(214) 985- 1112
*northwest corner of Parker & Preson Rd

Humbled

Lauren Cowling is a dear friend to all of us. She shows up and sends letters, drops off bagels before work, emails, texts, g-chat messages, facebook wall posts, and facebook messages at any unexpected time of the day. She always turns a room of negativity or sadness into laughter. Without fail, LC will bring up the most random email topic, among 20 girls, and at the end of the day we realize that 100 g-mails have stacked from her one email. On a serious note, she is also one of the more dedicated & loyal friends I've seen. Everywhere we go, she knows someone. And every someone, feels like they are best friends. Now that's rare.

Lindsay and I just got off the phone, floored by her blog post. We love you LC just as much as any other J.J. Pearce Mustang.

Lindsay, Lauren and Bob are taking their first steps, on their first day, without Diane. Please pray.

Death & Life in ONE DAY.

What a crazy day. I'm officially an aunt. T had to have a C-Section after the attempted 20 hour labor. Dottie is perfect. My camera battery wasn't charged so I'll be back there tomorrow to get photos of the Dot. T was really drugged so she probably wouldn't want me posting pics of her. I can't wait to get Linds over to see the Dot. I know how much Linds loves Jack & that having a baby around will be good for her soul
Dottie Anise Hutson
July 22, 2008
4:46PM
7 lbs 13 oz
20.5 inches

I just can't come up with titles for these blog posts. It's impossible. For now, the date will suffice.

Mrs K has gone home, as of early this afternoon. Please pray for Bob, Lauren and Lindsay during their mourning process. Please pray for John, Patty, and Stephanie : Mrs K's dearest friends, who have walked along side the K's these past two weeks, from sunrise to sunset.

I will post the funeral information as soon as I can get my hands on it.

Last night, Lindsay went to dinner with her main man, Scott. Naturally, they chose Mi Cocina. It was their hour to get away, relax and be in each other's company. As they were leaving, they got a call that her mom's breaths/minute went from 30 to 12 within the hour. So she rushed home, sobbing and informed us to come over. So we did.

The community of friends and family is incredible. She has support from work friends who care enough to take her work load and not expect her to come in. She has support from friends of friends who provide meals and write random emails, text message or leave voicemail. And of course, her home girls are always supporting her. She feels the weight of every email, phone call and message. It is her strength, so thank you.

We were all piled in Mrs K's room last night. It's quiet and dimly lit to provide as much comfort possible. She's very small in size and thin in width. Her blonde hair and smooth skin is still stunning. Whats been very surprising is that Mrs K's hands and arms look like they've always looked. Its one of the only parts of her body that hasn't changed shape or color. Her nails are ... of course.... painted red. She's perfect.

Most people are blessed by song. Thankfully, we have friends that sing. Their voices put everyone at rest. Both Lindsay and Lauren's friends were in the room. Her dad and his best friends came in to join us. Woods and Larsen led us in worship songs, which assuredly encouraged and provided rest for Mrs K. The nurse is sure that Mrs K can hear us, although we receive no response. It was an unforgettable evening that returned our love and thankfulness of the gift of Mrs K back to our Father. It places our hope on the place she is going and assurance of our Father.

Lindsay was back in my bed last night (yippee) because the rooms were full at her parents. Sadly, I rushed out to the hospital this morning and didn't get to sit with her, because T is going into labor. Continue to pray for Mrs K to peacefully let go. Pray peace for her family.

A painful update...

As most of you know, Lindsay's mom has plummeted these past two weeks. I literally was eating dinner with her, Melanie, and her parents at their house at the beginning of July. Mrs K was carrying on a strong conversation. She was as feisty as ever and spoke eloquently about her past, although she embodied something that none of us have ever experienced or will ever be able to understand.

Mrs K is beautiful. Her skin is radiant. I've always thought my mother pulled off her grooming techniques so well, making it look as if she woke up with make up on and her outfit all crisp and clean. Not until I've watched Mrs K battle with cancer, did I realize she gets the gold metal. Mrs K is gorgeous, inside and out, even in the throws of cancer.

We all have watched her attempt to push back the darkness of cancer in her body. Never before has it been so rampant. Never before has she let the opponent win. I am sad to say that she went into the hospital last weekend, with a broken hip. She stayed in the hospital until Friday afternoon. She's at home now - with her family and most dearest friends...most of the time, asleep and everyone trying to make her as peaceful & comfortable as possible.

Lindsay is stronger than she'd ever admit and I'm more proud of her than ever before. She's strength in her family, a comforter to her father and sister, and a servant, who is ready and willing at any moment to help.

Mrs K is in her last hours (as diagnosed by Hospice) and your prayers are coveted. Pray that she is comfortable. Pray that the Killingsworths are carried by the Spirit and held tight by community.

tears hollow out places in the heart, where joy can grow. to be emptied is to create a place that can be filled.  :::Robert Benson, Living Prayer

for you, o Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that i may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. the Lord protects the simplehearted, when i was in great need, he saved me. :::psalm 116

trusting jesus.

mom is in the hospital again. 

she broke her other hip.

this weekend, my family moved into a condo, one floor, so she can get around easier.

my friends have been more than amazing.

they helped with the move and were my support.

the body of christ at its best.

and i am forever thankful.

today was hard day, like any other.

spent the morning unpacking boxes.

and the rest of the day at mom's side.

as i left the hospital tonight, i whispered in her ear, "i love you so deeply"

she replied, "i know you do, and i love you too. jesus' timing in perfect".

but,at the end of the day,

i have abby to come home to.

my blogging buddy and female soul mate.

she drew me a bath with enormous bubbles.

and i am forever thankful.

13 Days!

My seester, Terese, is scheduled to induce labor on July 22, 7:30 AM. Dottie could arrive before then, considering she is 7 lbs 7 oz.
T has already asked me to babysit for September 22. . . tee-hee!
So mark your calendars!! I am excited

America, the Great.

4th of July is my favorite holiday. Thats right, I said it. (Christmas is my favorite season, so it doesn't count as a holiday). My family has always been big celebrators of the 4th. Going to the lake with family and friends, partaking in water sports, playing cards, watching fireworks all weekend across the water, enjoying great food, getting burnt from way too many hours on the boat, relaxing and wearing red, white and blue.

The Dallas-ites have also started a few of our own traditions for the 4th. Going to Zog's lake house, eating way too much, tie dying wife beaters, not showering for days, jet skiing, swinging on the rope, trampolines, celebrity, staying up way too late and being irresponsible.

 

This 4th of July seems extra fun and special. Lots of friends to celebrate with, my family is still whole, and love is abundant. I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th! Celebrate!