REMEMBERING

Mrs. Neva Bailey Ritter Cunningham

1932 - 2010

This week, I found out some sad news. The mother of an old friend passed away. I knew she had been sick. She had been in and out of the hospital three or four times in one month. Not so good. My friend came from Hawaii to be with her this last hospital visit. Few knew about her latest development because she didn't want to worry anyone. The last message I got from my friend was that her mom was doing better, getting out of ICU and hopefully going home soon.

Two days ago, I received an e-mail that her mom passed away. I began thinking about Mrs. Cunningham and trying to remember the things I knew about her. Donna and I had been friends all through high school. She was one of my Three Musketeer friends I have spoken about before. Mrs. Cunningham was Donna's mother, but had been divorced and remarried for many years. Donna lived with her dad and step mom, and I therefore was really more familiar with her step mom than I was Mrs. Cunningham. However, I did visit her mom many times with Donna and remember her always to be very sweet and kind to all Donna's friends. In seeing her picture in her obituary, it looks like Donna staring back at me in a few years. I didn't realize Mrs. Cunningham was so young. Though Donna, the oldest in her family and I the middle child in mine, Mrs. Cunningham is much younger than my mother. I was surprised. After reading her obituary, I didn't know she had been in real estate or had worked for the Moodye Williamson Agency - one my uncle Franklin Williamson worked with his brother Moodye in. There was so much I did not know about her. To me...she was Donna's mom. I guess to me, that was the most important roll or job she ever had.

As I think about Mrs. Cunningham, it reminds me that there are so many people we know, or run into or are even family members with that we know so little about when we get right down to it. In fact, when one of Jimmy's two cousins died, we were astounded at the honors and accolades he achieved in his lifespan in the music and arts world. It is that way with most all people. People in our own families...we often have no knowledge of what they achieved or how many lives they have touched. Is it because we don't take the time to stop and talk, or listen when we have such precious little time with them? Those times with Mrs. Cunningham, why did I not know she worked for a company my own uncle worked at? I was a teen, I was old enough to put two and two together.

Then, I think about my Lord. Though I know so little about so many I come in contact with or even am a relative to, He knows EVERYTHING! He knows where we have been, what we have done, how we feel, what we will do, how we will respond, how things will affect us, how He will comfort us, how He will guide us, how He will carry us through each difficulty and how He will be with us always. He knows EVERYTHING about us from before we were ever formed in our mother's womb. He knew Mrs. Cunningham and he knows me.

So today, I am thankful for the privilege of knowing sweet wonderful people God has placed in my life. The parents of my friends who loved me and were kind to me through those difficult years of school. Thankful for my sweet friends, not only those who stood beside me and did dance contest in gym class each day (aka Donna) but those today who keep me informed when others need our prayers in love (thank you John G). Thankful for those Bible study friends who remain constant and prayerful with and fore me through the years. Thankful for my siblings and cousins, my parents and children and mostly, my husband who supports me and knows me even better than I know myself sometimes. Yes, all those people God has placed in my life.

Today, I remember one of those precious people I am thankful for...I pray she will be waiting in heaven at the place God has prepared for me, and I will see her again one day. So it's not goodbye Mrs. Cunningham...I will see you again...save a place for me!