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If God is good and I have no reason to believe otherwise He provides a wide variety of people that attend worship services with a faithfulness that would put to shame daily newspapers.

Of particular note is that linchpin of every church--the proverbial little old lady. Without their devotion to the Lord and their strength in prayer many a church would be lacking a witness to love and spiritualness and would waste away into a slow spiral downward into coldheartedness and apathy.

Phyliss S. was such a monument to the church. I never saw her without a smile and a pleasant greeting. Never an unkind word and a zest for life which generally only perks me up when magazine day arrives at the Bookery.

She was a hugger. At least where I was concerned. In thinking it over I was a favorite of hers as I rarely escaped a service without her seizing upon me with evident delight. Even in my more dour moods and woe is me the glory has departed frame of doctrinal bliss she never let my attitudes distract her from the joy of living.

I never felt worthy to be in her circle and truth must be told. Sometimes I did not appreciate this rare privilege of being a part of her life and walk with God. There is such a form of false humility which is inverted pride that causes such lapse in good manners and proper care for one another that surely robs the practitioner of real and honest blessings. Judas was filled with this sort of sprit.

None the less Heaven is the greater now as God has seen fit to bring Phyliss home. My wife got the news from an e-mail posting and shared it with me as I was getting set to depart for the salt mines. Ruth guessed she was probably in her 90s. She had health issues towards the end. Her fondest wish was that she could remain at her home as opposed to nursing care and that wish was granted.

She dances now in glory and I think of her with a warm and grateful feeling that she touched my life and was never ashamed of the friendship. She was a rare example of unconditional love. I have been blessed often by this. God has been very merciful to me.