This is Miss Vonzelle, one of the sweet ladies from church that we will miss sorely when we move. She is one of those go getters who's in constant motion. Always making coffee or arranging the dessert table at pot lucks, greeting everyone with a cheery smile.
Don't tell the rest of the kids, but she loves our Katherine a little bit extra. Whenever she sees us, she makes sure to give KatieBug a big hug and kiss. She tells her that she loves her and that Jesus loves her and "don't ever forget it".
She doesn't call her Katherine, like the rest of us, but "Gracie" after her middle name. She's the only one who ever calls her that, and we don't mind.
It was always curious to me why Miss Vonzelle seemed to pick out Katherine to dote on until one day when she told us about her own little boy.
She told us with such pride how he could tie his own shoes at three years old. He could count to twenty and write his name. And such a good, sweet little boy he was!
One day, he came down with "the croup" and he just couldn't quit coughing, so they took him to the hospital. The doctor there had been drinking, she told us. Her sweet little three year old boy was given an adult dosage of barbiturates by a drunken physician.
Her baby went into the hospital with a bad cough and never came home. She smiled as she told us that it is okay because he is with Jesus now, and even though she has missed him every day all these many, long years, one day soon she will see him again.
I smiled, too, through the tears and wondered at the joy she has even through the grief that has never let her alone.
I know now why she loves our Katherine so. She sees in her the same innocence and joy she remembers of her own little boy and that gives her comfort and hope for what is yet to come.
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Miss Vonzelle
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10 comments:
OH! What a brave, strong woman. I'm sure she's looking forward to seeing her little boy again when the time comes!
Thank you for sharing Miss Vonzelle with us. My heart was already mushy today. Better to finish it off early in the day.
Besides, coffee always tastes better with tears in it.
Thank you for the reminder to fix my hope in Jesus...
Oh my, how very sweet and sad. Those are the people to cherish in our lives! Thanks for sharing.
That was a sweet story...It made me cry...I'm always extra emotional when pregnant, but this was just so sad and sweet.
Thank you for sharing,
love,
Jaynee
PS- by the way, where are you moving? why? how? when? what? Who? and all that ;)
thank you for sharing such a sweet, tender story and for the wonderful picture. What a blessing for Katie-Bug that she has Miss Vonelle, and how sad that you are moving away. :-(
So, when are we going to hear the details? Where are you moving to? Why are you moving? When can we expect to see the Smockity Caravan on the road? What kinds of specific prayers are you needing as you put your lives in boxes and prepare to leave your home?
That's such a sweet photograph and wonderful example of faith.
That's how it works; you thought she was a blessing to you, she sees your family as a blessing for her.
I love it when I find examples of that.
What a dear woman. She'll always have "Gracie" in her heart.
Oh, so sad. :( That poor mommy. I can't imagine that pain.
Won't she be so happy to see him again?
What a sweet, sweet lady:)
Ohhhhhh... I just can't imagine. Give that wonderful woman a huge hug before you go. She's an inspiration. (And keep an eye on those doctors!!)
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