Thinking about my baby sister on her birthday.

Welcome to Friday, May 15, 2020, where I am thinking about the birthday of my baby sister, Kayla Jean. She was born of this day back in 1952. For us, she left way too soon for her heavenly home in June of 1979. She succumbed to a fierce 18 month battle with acute Leukemia. She left behind a husband and three small children. Last Sunday, her three daughters posted photos and tributes to Kayla for Mother's Day. For me, it had been a day of thinking about all the moms who had been such a great influence on my life. It was wonderfully sweet memories until I saw those photos of my baby sister. We have plenty of unanswered questions in our family, but, her short life is one that I still wrestle with today. With tears. That's right. She personifies the 'why?' in my thought process. The really wonderful news is the legacy of faith in God she left behind along with a loving witness for her Savior. Just before she left, she used to tell me she didn't want me to weep for her because she was going to be just fine. Happy Birthday. Amen.

Here's a recollection about her that I penned back in 2008. ~ Thanks, Baby Sister! Today is Thursday, June 26, 2008. Twenty-nine years ago today we said farewell to our baby sister, Kayla, as she said goodbye to this world of heartache and woe, and hello to her eternal bliss in the presence of her heavenly Father. If there ever was a person who taught us how to live by the way in which she died, it was this precious gift of a child who lived out a legacy, and in so doing caused us all to desire to influence others before we leave the planet. We in her immediate family will never forget those eighteen months of being with her as she struggled and persevered in her battle against Leukemia. There are many ways people react when they find out they have a terminal illness. Kayla had many bad days where she had to battle the emotional distress of leaving her husband and three young daughters, however, on the whole, she determined, with God’s help, to make the most of her time by spreading God’s love to as many people as she could. She actually had a list and did her best to contact every person on it!

At her home going celebratory service, many announced how they were impacted by her testimony for Christ during her time of trial. Those who visited her during times where the treatments themselves were almost as bad as the disease, left being uplifted, encouraged, and inspired by her attitude, her warmth, and her reliance upon God. Some said they often felt guilty because they had gone to bring her comfort but left having been comforted by Kayla. That my friend is a testimony worth remembering and an example of dealing with great challenges worth patterning our lives after. Everyone ended up with a ‘Kayla’ story. I know I’ll never forget what she told me about this entire episode. She said she felt so blessed to know in advance so that she could contact everyone she wanted to talk to and while she never thought she would be leaving so soon, how much she looked forward to seeing her Savior. Wow! Wow! Wow!

Today my mind’s eye goes back to her and my younger brother as we played together as children. She was my mom’s baby and she was always our baby sister. However, when it came time to say goodbye to this world she was a believer who at age twenty-seven was committed to her Lord as much as the most mature of saints. We are human and we can’t help but wonder how things might have been different had she lived. She, however, closed down that option by facing her illness with courage and faith as she prepared to be welcomed into her ‘real’ home. The Apostle Paul encouraged others to follow him as an example as he followed Christ. May God help me to follow in Kayla’s footsteps in leaving a legacy that will continue even twenty-nine years later. May God bless her memory as we remember her on this day. And finally, the lyrics to that wonderful song: Thank you for giving to the Lord …I am a life that was changed. Thank you for giving to the Lord …I am so glad you gave. ~ Amen. ….More later.