I was 29 years old when I walked into the school where I had taught for 7 years and was now walking in as the new principal. The secretary was already there. It wasn’t very long before I asked her what a principal was suppose to do to start the school year? This was never part of any class I’d attended for administration. She had been the secretary all of my 7 years of teaching and I’d gotten to know her pretty well. She kindly gave me several steps to take which would follow the footsteps of my predecessor. She was my secretary from 1979 to 1992. I’ve kept in touch with this secretary throughout my life. She and her husband were very close friends even though they were old enough to be my parents. Yesterday afternoon I got a call from her younger son that she won’t be with us much longer. We were about to start a birthday party for two of our grandkids so I said I’d be there in the morning.

I’m headed to the assisted living place where Wanda has lived most of this year. She turned 91 earlier this past week. My emotions are happy and sad. Happy she gets to join Orville and Jesus and sad that I will no longer have her presence. She was one of the first people God had placed in my life who believed in me. I can’t begin to write here all of the things she told me I “could do”. It was always in a kind way that the message would be delivered. She called me her oldest son and in my heart she was a 2nd mother to me.

I praise God for His Loving Kindness given to me through this magnificent lady named Wanda!