Diane's sister Jean (third from the left) is collecting photos, digital or printed.
Jpeg or tiff photos may be sent to Jean Libby - jalibby@pacbell.net. If you have printed photos email Jean for her snail mail address. She can scan them.
October 2009 the Rivendell Community Motherhouse in Dunnegan MO welcomed Diane for a week of retreat. She was driving cross country after having been in Scotland. She was in remission from her leukemia. She and I hit it off right away and became fast friends on the spot. We went shopping at the local Amish stores, told stories, laughed together, and most importantly, we prayed the four Daily Offices together in our chapel.
What an absolute delight she was! So full of life and wanting to live what life she had left to the very fullest! She left here headed to a raw vegan retreat facility. As she was getting in the car to leave I gave her a big hunk of pork roast from the night before and some cheese. She told me later that she relished them on the road as the last non-vegan food she would have.
We kept up with each other on Facebook, through emails, and phone calls. The last time I talked to her was in August when she was in the hospital. As so many others have done, I told her I love her before hanging up.
It is amazing, and a gift from God that out of the blue a person enters our life, leaves a lasting imprint, and then "poof", they are gone.
But Diane is not gone. She is in my heart as a sister, a dear friend, and a fellow traveler on the Christian pilgrimage.
What I will remember with a smile and giggle is the image of Diane driving to this raw vegan place, wiping pork roast off her face!
Of Diane’s many friends, my husband Kyle and I are two of her most recently made. We began attending St. Paul’s in February 2009. It was only a few weeks before Diane was encouraging me to join the choir, and generally being her clever, amusing self whenever we found ourselves together during coffee hour. I joined the choir that May. I hadn’t sung in a chorus for thirty years, and then only as an anonymous member of large alto sections. It is a testament to Diane’s support and encouragement that eventually I joined her, Kari Weber, and Kyle in a piece in front of the congregation. Diane was also a loyal fan of Kyle’s music, overcoming her discomfort in bar settings to see him perform live several times.
Beyond good times and concert-going, however, Diane’s brief friendship changed my life forever when she became my baptismal sponsor last Easter. I was drawn to the way Diane combined her profound faith with what seemed like such a rebellious, naturally irreverent spirit. Diane called herself honored at my request, and listened respectfully as I tried to articulate my feelings about taking this step so far from my philosophical upbringing. She took her role seriously; my final communication from her was a beautiful prayer card, accompanied with a note assuring me of her prayers to find Christ’s path for my life. This, when she was in such need of the prayers we were saying for her.
Thank you, Pushpa Carbaugh, who went a photograph of Diane the airplane pilot.
ReplyDeleteOctober 2009 the Rivendell Community Motherhouse in Dunnegan MO welcomed Diane for a week of retreat. She was driving cross country after having been in Scotland. She was in remission from her leukemia. She and I hit it off right away and became fast friends on the spot. We went shopping at the local Amish stores, told stories, laughed together, and most importantly, we prayed the four Daily Offices together in our chapel.
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolute delight she was! So full of life and wanting to live what life she had left to the very fullest! She left here headed to a raw vegan retreat facility. As she was getting in the car to leave I gave her a big hunk of pork roast from the night before and some cheese. She told me later that she relished them on the road as the last non-vegan food she would have.
We kept up with each other on Facebook, through emails, and phone calls. The last time I talked to her was in August when she was in the hospital. As so many others have done, I told her I love her before hanging up.
It is amazing, and a gift from God that out of the blue a person enters our life, leaves a lasting imprint, and then "poof", they are gone.
But Diane is not gone. She is in my heart as a sister, a dear friend, and a fellow traveler on the Christian pilgrimage.
What I will remember with a smile and giggle is the image of Diane driving to this raw vegan place, wiping pork roast off her face!
Of Diane’s many friends, my husband Kyle and I are two of her most recently made. We began attending St. Paul’s in February 2009. It was only a few weeks before Diane was encouraging me to join the choir, and generally being her clever, amusing self whenever we found ourselves together during coffee hour. I joined the choir that May. I hadn’t sung in a chorus for thirty years, and then only as an anonymous member of large alto sections. It is a testament to Diane’s support and encouragement that eventually I joined her, Kari Weber, and Kyle in a piece in front of the congregation. Diane was also a loyal fan of Kyle’s music, overcoming her discomfort in bar settings to see him perform live several times.
ReplyDeleteBeyond good times and concert-going, however, Diane’s brief friendship changed my life forever when she became my baptismal sponsor last Easter. I was drawn to the way Diane combined her profound faith with what seemed like such a rebellious, naturally irreverent spirit. Diane called herself honored at my request, and listened respectfully as I tried to articulate my feelings about taking this step so far from my philosophical upbringing. She took her role seriously; my final communication from her was a beautiful prayer card, accompanied with a note assuring me of her prayers to find Christ’s path for my life. This, when she was in such need of the prayers we were saying for her.
The beautiful physical scrapbook made by Shelley is working its way into cyberspace at my website, AtoZProductions. One by one, and two by two.
ReplyDeleteThe page is linked to her blog hoperenewing at the top, the circle continues.