I have so many memories of my Aunt Janet.

She and my Uncle Kenny are the reasons why I love Kenny Rogers.  I can still see my aunt and uncle dancing around the kitchen to “Lady”.

She is the one who taught me how to trifold towels, that a curse word can be a term of endearment, that you have to suffer to be beautiful but most of all she showed me how to love gracefully.

Anne Lamott wrote, “The mystery of Grace is that God loves Dick Cheney and me exactly as much as He loves your grandchild.”  If you wanted to experience a little bit of God’s grace on Earth all you had to do was go to Aunt Janet’s house.  As soon as you walked through the doors you were greeted with the sounds of laughter and music and the smell of good food cooking.  And there was Aunt Janet.  Whether it had been 2 hours or 2 years since she last saw you she would greet you with a smile, arms outstretched saying, “My love.”

And so when I think of her meeting our Heavenly Father for the first time, her body restored with a new set of lungs that will never fail her, God was there to welcome her with His arms outstretched saying, “My love.”

Rest in Peace, Aunt Janet.