May 29 – “Peggy Howard"

Another dear friend of ours died last night.  This one really hit close to home.  Well, at least close to our age.  Peggy was about the same age as us.  We knew her from our time at South Oaks Baptist Church in Arlington, but our relationship with Peggy and her husband Richard continued after we moved to Denver.  And it has always been fun seeing them when we have been back to the area.    Peggy was (and still is – just relocated to heaven) one of the least intimidate-able people I have ever known.  In fact she could not only hold her own with just about anybody, she could rear up and do some intimidating herself.  I sure never wanted to get on her bad side.  She loved her kids: Jason, who always came across as the super intelligent guy, even when he was just a kid.  Drew, the youngest, who always found some way to get into mischief and ended up in the military.  And the only girl, Katherine, who became quite proficient at being a mommy herself.  Several times.  We never got to know any of the grandkids, but with a grandmother like Peggy and a softie granddad like Richard, they have to be great kids.   Richard and Peggy are the kinds of friends that made you feel like family.  There are not all that many people in our lives that Chris and I feel close enough to that we will take them up on an offer to spend the night.  We have stopped at the Howard residence several times.  In fact, there are two things I think about right away when I think about Peggy.  One happened on one of our return trips to Denver after a visit to Galveston.  We stayed the night with Richard and Peggy.  Katherine's schnauzer had had puppies and they were in the process of selling the little ones.  Now I decided a long time ago – after a bout with an  incredibly goofy dog we had named Taffy who used to sleep in her water bowl (but that's another story) – that I did not ever want another dog that had to be taken out for a haircut.  Way too much trouble and expense.  Of course Peggy sweet-talked Chris while we were there, and sure enough, we ended up with another traveling companion for the trip to Denver.  And I have to concede, Peggy and Katherine, Gretchen was a pretty good little dog.   The second thing I remember about the Howard's involved a rite of passage.  One of the nights we were at their house Peggy assigned us our quarters.  For the first time in my life I got to sleep in a water bed.  I don't remember which of the kids was displaced, but I do remember sloshing around and doing my best to make Chris seasick.  Great fun.  Thanks, Peggy, for helping me jump past that significant hurdle in my life journey.    We shared some Bible studies and watched some soccer games.  We compared notes on kids' behavior and how to discipline without cracking up laughing.  We laughed a lot and cried some.  We were friends.  No, let me change that.  We still ARE friends.  I'll see you again later on, Peggy.  In the meantime … have fun.   Revelation 21:4 says, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."   Father, thank you for giving Peggy just the right healing.  The best kind there is.  The kind that lasts forever.  Amen.