Going Home

Today, a great lady has gone home to be with the LORD.

Alice Ann Adams, "Miss Ann" was my first adult Sunday School teacher.  When I was 24, in 1989, I moved back to Festus and moved in with my grandmother.  One of the rules was that I had to go to church with her.  I had not, at that time, been to church in close to ten years.  I had attended regularly as a child with my parents, but once I began to get involved with "youth group".....let's just say my eyes were opened and I had better things to do.

Anyway, so fast-forward to 1989.  I was not saved (I don't care what anyone says, truly regenerate people do NOT deliberately skip church for ten years), but having walked an aisle and been dunked as a child, I thought I was.  And I found myself in complete alien territory - the Adult 2 Sunday School Department.

I walked in and it was WAY obvious that I did not belong there.  Most of the women in the department just ignored me.  But Miss Ann grabbed me and next thing you know I was in the Adult 2 Ladies Class, taught by none other than......Miss Ann.  She was the pastor's wife, had daughters of her own, and she was nobody's pushover.  One of the young women, Andrea, became my dear friend.  So suddenly, this heathen had a pastor's wife and a Christian mama of 3 (or maybe 4, or maybe pregnant with #4 at the time) taking care of her.

After a few years, and thankfully after the LORD had saved me, I met Nevin, and her husband Brother Richard married us in due course.

Side story - Miss Ann had developed dementia over the last few years.  Last year I sat next to her at a wedding reception and she told me at least five times how wonderful it was that Nevin was coming to church now and actively involved.  I just kept agreeing, and was so happy that she remembered THAT, and not when Nevin did not go to church!

Back to the story.  After a while I bounced around churches a bit, but always maintained a connection to her.  When I came back to that church she and Andrea were there to welcome  me with open arms. Another woman then became my Sunday School teacher, Mary Kathryn Henson.  I began to grow and be discipled by these ladies, and the other ladies in my class who sucked us into this crazy homeschool life.

Andrea died of colorectal cancer in August of 2002, at the age of 38.  Mary Kathryn died of cancer in October of 2002.  And today, Miss Ann has gone on home.  The last few years she has had dementia, and this world has grown increasingly difficult for her.  She has been blessed by a family that loves her, and especially her daughter Debi.  Debi rearranged her life, and took care of her mother, even adding a room addition to her home and moving her in with her and her family.  Which consists of her, a husband, 7 or 8 children still at home (out of 10), a farm, and a concrete flatwork company.  So, today, she got to go home.  She gets to see Brother Richard again, who she has missed so much.  And she gets to see Jesus, who she has loved for so long.