Finally Home
I was honored to know a lady named Sara Prigge who, on Tuesday of this week, went home to be with the Lord after a 2 year battle with colon cancer.
She went home. I have to keep saying that because much of the time I live like this world is my home. I forget that my citizenship is, in fact, in heaven. This right now is what will be the blip on the radar screen of time. These troubles I have now are momentary, light. They are nothing to be compared with the glory that will follow, because what is seen is temporary, and what is unseen is eternal (that's me paraphrasing 2 Cor 4:17-18).
I am so thankful to have known Sara and to be encouraged by her example. I wanted to share two of my most important memories of her life and how it touched mine. These are very small things when I see them written out, and I doubt she would have even remembered that either of these happened, but they impacted me.
I first met Sara when I was a college student in love with a boy named Josh Rowley (you know the rest of that story!). Josh lived in Connecticut, and when I would go visit him during school breaks, I had to stay with other families to keep everybody behaving (*wink*). One Christmastime visit, I stayed at the Prigge home. I remember being warmly welcomed in. Their son, Caleb, joyfully gave up his room for me and bunked with his sister. There was a sign on the bed that said, "Welcome, Joanna!" along with a basket full of goodies for me: chocolate, lip balm, stretchy gloves, a pen, and notebook. On New Year's Eve, after a particularly stressful thing happened (which I would like to forget, so I won't mention it specifically. The event is not as important as this memory I have of Sara), I returned from the church New Year's party very late. This would have been after midnight. I came in and greeted the Prigges, who had just come home themselves. I had tears in my eyes, and tried to turn away and head to the bedroom before anyone noticed. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the bedroom door. It was Sara, and she had in her hand a tall glass of water. "You just looked like you might need this," she said, locking her eyes with mine. "If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know. Or if you want to talk..." There she was, being to me the embodiment of Matthew 10:42. "And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” I trust God has rewarded her greatly for that, for here I am, almost 18 years later remembering what a blessing that was.
The second memory I want to share happened when Sara and some teens from TBC came down to Bob Jones University during my junior year. She was the teens' drama coach for the national competition called AACS, held on campus every spring. She had brought her kids with her, and Rachel was still in the napping stage. Sara had put Rachel down for a nap on my roommate's bed, and then eventually needed to wake her up. I don't think I'll ever forget the tender way that Sara knelt by the bed and stroked Rachel's hair, tenderly whispering into her ear. I remember thinking how nice it would be to be awakened that way, with such kindness. I wanted to be just like her when I became a mom. Such grace, I never heard Sara say one harsh word to her kids.
I wish I could end this post with some thoughtful, pithy statement, but my own little girl is waking from her nap and I need to go. Lord, give me grace like you gave to Sara! Use me to be a blessing to others, as she was in her earthly life. Thank you that she is finally home, and I have the promise of going home too someday!
She went home. I have to keep saying that because much of the time I live like this world is my home. I forget that my citizenship is, in fact, in heaven. This right now is what will be the blip on the radar screen of time. These troubles I have now are momentary, light. They are nothing to be compared with the glory that will follow, because what is seen is temporary, and what is unseen is eternal (that's me paraphrasing 2 Cor 4:17-18).
I am so thankful to have known Sara and to be encouraged by her example. I wanted to share two of my most important memories of her life and how it touched mine. These are very small things when I see them written out, and I doubt she would have even remembered that either of these happened, but they impacted me.
I first met Sara when I was a college student in love with a boy named Josh Rowley (you know the rest of that story!). Josh lived in Connecticut, and when I would go visit him during school breaks, I had to stay with other families to keep everybody behaving (*wink*). One Christmastime visit, I stayed at the Prigge home. I remember being warmly welcomed in. Their son, Caleb, joyfully gave up his room for me and bunked with his sister. There was a sign on the bed that said, "Welcome, Joanna!" along with a basket full of goodies for me: chocolate, lip balm, stretchy gloves, a pen, and notebook. On New Year's Eve, after a particularly stressful thing happened (which I would like to forget, so I won't mention it specifically. The event is not as important as this memory I have of Sara), I returned from the church New Year's party very late. This would have been after midnight. I came in and greeted the Prigges, who had just come home themselves. I had tears in my eyes, and tried to turn away and head to the bedroom before anyone noticed. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the bedroom door. It was Sara, and she had in her hand a tall glass of water. "You just looked like you might need this," she said, locking her eyes with mine. "If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know. Or if you want to talk..." There she was, being to me the embodiment of Matthew 10:42. "And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” I trust God has rewarded her greatly for that, for here I am, almost 18 years later remembering what a blessing that was.
The second memory I want to share happened when Sara and some teens from TBC came down to Bob Jones University during my junior year. She was the teens' drama coach for the national competition called AACS, held on campus every spring. She had brought her kids with her, and Rachel was still in the napping stage. Sara had put Rachel down for a nap on my roommate's bed, and then eventually needed to wake her up. I don't think I'll ever forget the tender way that Sara knelt by the bed and stroked Rachel's hair, tenderly whispering into her ear. I remember thinking how nice it would be to be awakened that way, with such kindness. I wanted to be just like her when I became a mom. Such grace, I never heard Sara say one harsh word to her kids.
I wish I could end this post with some thoughtful, pithy statement, but my own little girl is waking from her nap and I need to go. Lord, give me grace like you gave to Sara! Use me to be a blessing to others, as she was in her earthly life. Thank you that she is finally home, and I have the promise of going home too someday!
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