Diddy

Today Muffin and I attended another funeral for one of the Sunday School class members. He has taught the same class, members in their 70's and 80's, for 14 years. Last week I received a call from the prayer chain that a sweet member in her 80's, 89 last August, had a massive stroke. She had never married and her brothers would have the final decision concerning life supports. While I know that was a difficult decision, anyone who knew her would be certain that she would prefer to go to heaven immediately. Her nephew by marriage officiated at the funeral and it was truly a wonderful service, complete with a slide show of her life, family, friends, one class of students she taught from the many years she was a third grade teacher.

I knew her as Frances, at church and with friends who are her contemporaries in clubs and partners in bridge playing. I would see them out around town at music performances and museums, at meetings and luncheons. They were always smiling and seemed to have little inside jokes, but were never exclusive. One of my music teacher colleagues, also Frances' good friend, has Alzheimers and yet Frances would bring her to meetings, church, and performances just to get her out and away from her usual environment with her daughter. What patience! I didn't know until the service that she earned a Master's degree from Columbia by traveling to NY for many summers while she was teaching in TX during the school year. I learned today at the funeral that Frances' family called her "Diddy". I love that! It was a child's mispronunciation of "Sissy" and it stuck. Her family, one after the other, talked about the fun they had at her house, the loving care she gave to her Mother, and the road trips she still made alone in her car, getting lost in Dallas. They reported that she always trusted God to get her where she wanted to go and would just call a family member and say "I'm lost. Tell me how to find you."

One thing is certain. Diddy knew where she was going when her life on earth ended. And she is there, with Him, rejoicing. What a blessing!