In tribute to an old friend.

I got a sad suprise today. I found out that an old Sunday School teacher of mine had past away. I guess I always figured she would live to be 100, but even 92 is a long time. I think the thing that really shocked me with the impact it had on me. I haven't seen Aunt Laura about six years or so, so I haven't really had contact with her.
When I felt that catch in my heart and tears in my eyes, I realized just how much of an impact she made when I was a little girl. She was everyones Aunt Laura. She was an unmarried woman who took every child and treated them like they were hers. She walked around with a four footed cane for many years because of the effects of pollio when she was a child. (we called it her lion tamer.)
She always taught Sunday School for as along as I can remember and she was in her late 70's early 80's then. Not only did she teach Sunday School, but she also taught Junior Church and the 3's and 4's during VBS.
Her classes were always the same. We start out with the pledges to the American Flag, the Christian Flag and the Bible. We all faught to see who would get to hold what. We also sang about 5 or more of our favorite songs, listened to stories, and colored.
When our church fell when I was 8, it was Aunt Laura who took all the kids out to Junior Church and told us the story of Winkie the Bear.
It's kind of funny, but every time we kids played Sunday School we always mimicked Aunt Laura. She was a godly woman that was always doing for others. If it had something to do with kids Aunt Laura was in it and all the kids respected her.
I don't think we will know until we get to heaven just how much of an impact She has been on people. There is a Song called "Thank you for giving to the Lord" It talks about a person getting to heaven and people coming up to him and thanking him for everything that he had done for them. Everything from being a Sunday School teacher to handing out tracks to giving money to a missionary. The chorus goes like the "Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed. Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am so glad you gave." I hope when Aunt Laura got to Heaven someone sang that song to Aunt Laura because it would be perfect for her.
Aunt Laura Gifford Died March 1, 2007. Thank you for giving to the Lord.