I met Donna at church the summer of 2001. One time I jokingly asked her, "Did the pastor tell you to be my friend?" I sure needed a friend at the time and she has walked quite a road with me!! This wonderful lady is full of compassion, has a great sense of humor, can do just about anything you can come up with - from canning to smoking Salmon to hunting, trapping, fishing, but also lovely things like needlepoint and flower/centerpiece decorating... she is a fabulous, practical no-nonsense mom... And God gave her to me!! Years ago my youngest boy had multiple allergies and it was very difficult to feed him and he wasn't "thriving" to put it mildly. Donna stepped in and began lining her counters with food containers and placing shredded meats and soft-cooked vegetables and even spent time home-making apple desserts into each container. Then she'd freeze these, box them up and delivery "Victor meals" to me at my home. Donna is seen here with my oldest daughter, Shasta.
Do you know someone that you could call at a moments notice and say whatever you needed to say and be loved just the same?? That's my friend, Donna. When I was desperately hurting, she softly encouraged... when I needed to laugh, boy did we laugh... and over the years as I have struggled with judgement of peer Christians (how sad is that?)and heart wrenching choices and decisions, she listened and walked beside me.
Now when we talk, it is all rejoicing. I am not so naive that I believe all struggles in life are over, but for now, we bask in God's faithfulness and share the happiness and love that God has graciously brought me to.
We had such fun together! Donna was a crack up to hear, as she exclaimed, "There's nothing like this in Alaska!" (referencing watermelon piled in the back of a truck along the side of the road... and the tidy, kept up neighborhoods where we live... and she ooohed and awed at just the right times!). Thank you, dear Lord, for my friend, Donna.
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