The End of a Chapter - Part Two

If you read Part One of this post, you know that my family said "good-bye" to my grandparents this year. Actually, my grandfather passed away in 2006 and my grandmother followed him in 2009, but his presence was still felt in her home as long as she was there. These people were more than just a mother and father, or grandparents, they were influential in so many lives. They had 4 children and in-laws, 10 grandchildren and grand in-laws, and 10 great-grandchildren. They loved us all so much, in our good times and our bad. But more than that, they taught us all so much. They taught us about hard work and caring for the needy, but most of all, they taught us about faith in God. Not a faith in words, but a faith that was lived out each day and through their works. The served faithfully for MANY years at Stansel Baptist Church, a church they loved almost as much as their family.

I mention Stansel because, it was such a dear part of my life and now my connection to it is gone. I am sure I will still attend there when our travels permit, but somehow it just won't be the same. I am so indebted to so many people from Stansel. I don't want to mention names for fear that I will leave out someone, and there have been so many wonderful people who have influenced my life. My first memories involve people from Stansel. My first friends were also Stanselites, some even still attend there with their children and grandchildren. This church is so much a part of who I am today, as a person, a mom and as a Christ-follower and I am so thankful that God is still using it today and it is thriving even after some tough years.

As I said in my previous post, there are so many parts of our lives that are but chapters, but add so much to who we become and what is said of us at the end of our lives. Stansel Baptist Church is a part of one of those chapters. To those of you who faithfully attended, served and prayed for young ones like me, thank you, God heard those prayers and even though I made quite a few mistakes, He has drawn me near to Him in spite of it all. I am so grateful to have a Godly heritage from my Simpson family and from my Stansel family.