Better Than Blessed

Keilani and "Hello Kitty."

"It isn't really church, you know. It isn't like a real service."

Smiling, I quickly responded, hoping to change this young person's mind, "Oh, but it is. It is church to them. It is the only church they get to have."

I wasn't offended, but I'm not sure my words sunk in either. After all, that young person could not relate to a life confined to a nursing home. I mean, a nursing home doesn't seem much like "home," let alone "church" to most, whether young or old.

But after years of preaching there every Tuesday at 6:30 in the evening, my husband fell in love with those people. He could barely stand to cancel a service even when there was something special going on, or if the weather seemed treacherous. It was church to them. It was their church. It was their Sunday morning worship, teaching, and preaching, all on a Tuesday evening. Some days they had three people. Some days they had thirty. But it was always church. And Kitty was always there. Oh sure, there might have been a few occasions when she didn't make it to service, like when she was in the hospital, or when she was so sick the nurses refused to let her go. But she hated to miss church, and she told me on many occasions, "I love church!"

And if you asked her how she was, every time, without fail, regardless of her circumstance, she said through that half, stroke ridden smile, "Better than blessed."

It's funny how I can't remember where my keys are half the time, but I can hear her voice as if she just whispered in my ear. "I love you, Sister Ritzi." "Where is Keilani?" or "I love Brother Ritzi."

She adored my husband, and my husband adored her.

So when he got the call yesterday that informed him that Kitty went on to her reward, a deep sorrow, and homesickness overwhelmed him. These are the times it hurts to be away from home.

Right before we moved to Texas, Kitty asked to be baptized. Kevin was overjoyed! It wasn't long before a ride was arranged and she was wheeled into the church. They carried her, wheelchair and all, up on the platform, transferred her to a regular chair, and then into the water she went. It took several very strong men to organize it all, but she did go down in Jesus name. And when it was all said and done she wanted to do it again because "it felt so good!"

Our last trip to Indiana included a trip to see "Hello Kitty." (That is what I called her because when I walked in the room I would always say, "Hello Kitty!") She greeted me with a huge smile, and I hugged her for a long while. She told me, "I would have just died if I found out you came to Richmond and didn't come see me." We held hands for a long time and I told her all about Texas. The picture above is from that trip.

Keilani and "Hello Kitty" became close over the years, and Keilani always looked for Kitty first when we entered the dining hall, the area in which they had church. When Kevin told her that Kitty had died, Keilani cried for a very long time.

But now, Kitty is truly, better than blessed.

I love you, Kitty. I will never forget you. Thank you for touching me with your life.