Tribute to Mrs. Coni

            Our West Monroe "Mom"-- we miss you!


            It's hard to believe our "West Monroe Mom" ( by the children "Cookie") is gone. Our hearts are sad, we miss her already. She gave us a whole bunch of reasons to miss her.  :) Mrs. Coni opened her home to Brandon when he was in college and needed a pediatric rotation. She was there for me for the first 7 years of our marriage when my Mom was so far away. One semester of college, she found out I had night classes on Mondays, so she cooked for us on Mondays. Oh, how I looked forward to her yummy recipes coming our way! :) 

But I marvel most at how I saw God work in her. 
She would be the first to tell you that God was so good and merciful. Near the end, it was so hard. There was so much pain and constant trouble. But her testimony was so precious. She thanked God for His goodness and His love, His mercy over and over, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HARD TIME. One particular time when I knew Mrs. Coni had been having a tough time, and we found a box on our porch, I just had to cry. (packages to us meant "Cookie" had sent us surprises) She apologized that it was "late," and all I could think was, "Mrs. Coni is so sick. She is hurting. And she is thinking others. She is doing for others." My heart was challenged by this kindness. 

     I woke up thinking about her yesterday and the verse that says "NOW we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face." During her trials and troubles here, I am sure it was hard at times, to SEE what God was up to. Like Job, sometimes we even look for Him on the right, and on the left, ahead and behind, and cannot see Him. At times we can hear God, and see the effects He is having in our lives and on the world around us, but there is a cloudy window, a barrier, of sorts, between us. Because we are on earth.

        I imagine Mrs. Coni's face tearfully looking at that window these last few years. Her face filled with questions, pain, fears, and one more thing..................... hope. The hope she had found in Christ Jesus.

      And now, I am looking through that cloudy window. And I have to look hard, but I am just sure I see Mrs. Coni in the arms of JESUS. She sees Him face to face!!! In the background, there seems to be a mansion built just for her, with a lemon tree, and pretty red tulips lining the walk way. 

We praise God for answered prayers.