“There’s a new angel, sprouting her wings,” her daughter told me on the phone. That was her way of telling me her mother had just died.

The first time I saw my friend about twenty years ago, she was seated across a large room where we were rehearsing in the pops orchestra we both played in. She was a petite little thing always with a smile on her face. I’ll bet she was a cheerleader in high school, I thought.  I asked her later at break and she giggled when I asked her if she had been. “No! Why would you ask?”

That began a friendship I’ll not forget. At first the relationship was only on rehearsal days at the two orchestras where we were members. We’d always seek each other out at break time and chat. Soon we shared our faith in Christ and the friendship was cemented.

There’s so much I could say about Judi. Since that initial conversation, we started sharing our writing in a small group of three that has grown to more. She was  a poet and wrote many for people celebrating a birthday, anniversary, a wedding. Stories of her childhood were the most intriguing. Tales of skating on a pond in rural, cold Minnesota. Scary stories of being kidnapped as a little girl. Honest stories of mistakes in life. They were all there.

About eighteen months ago, we invited a few friends to come and pray. For our nation and for our loved ones on a weekly basis. Although some came when they could, Judi and her husband Roger, never missed. Her prayers were fervent ones–she was a patriot and felt our nation was in peril. At the close of our prayer time, we prayed for our families. She prayed for those in her family who didn’t know Jesus. That was always first in her heart.

Just this year, we began attending the same church. Now we saw each other on Sundays, too. Right away Judi wanted to get involved and signed up to help in the children’s ministry. I will miss seeing Judi with her husband walk up the side aisle, coming to sit beside us.I will miss her phone calls that always ended up being more than thirty minutes. I will keep her voicemails so I can be reminded of her perky sounding voice. I will miss calling and asking a question about gardening–she was a master gardener or about dogs–she was a dog whisperer. I will miss praying with her. I will miss her friendship. But I know I will see her again–in heaven.

She is now in the presence of the One she loved so very much. Someone reminded me of a verse when I said a good friend had died:

Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his faithful servants (Psalm 115:16 NIV).

This morning as I thought about Judi the words to this song came to my mind:

Oh Lord
You Have been good
You have been faithtful
To all generation

Oh Lord
Your steadfast love
And tender mercies
Has been our salvation

I believe she is now singing those words to the One she loved.

Last week, we texted while she was in the hospital. She asked for my blog. Today, she won’t be reading it, for she’s with her Savior.

See you later, Judi—–in heaven.

Judi’s garden–and the flag representing the country she loved so much.