23 Jun My friend, Miss Julia

Spent the afternoon with one of my dearest friends, Julia Oliver. She is 90+ (she will KILL me for divulging her age) and one of the wisest women I’ve ever met. She taught children’s Sunday School at our church for decades.

Miss Julia was the type teacher who if your child missed a Sunday, she would call you. The conversation would go something like this: “We missed Emma in Sunday School today. Is she sick?”

“Ahhh, no ma’am,” I would answer. (Altho I REALLY wanted to make up a story I knew she’d nail me) “She had a softball tournament in Macon this weekend,” I would whisper, sheepishly.

{ Silence }

“Are sports more important than God?”

As the years went by, yes, she forgave me for not getting my kids to Sunday School EVERY single Sunday. But I’ll be forever indebted to her for the lessons she shared with me as a parent.

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All this to say, Miss Julia gave me a lovely little booklet as a send-off for my trip to NYC. “Expect A Miracle – Make Miracles Happen” by Norman Vincent Peale. She underlined this for me: “If you train yourself to have faith in depth, it will release an astonishing power in your life to produce miracles.” Think about it.

I wish I could pack up Miss Julia and take her with me to New York. I’d love to show her 9/11. I’d love to take her up to the Empire State Building and show her all the lights. I’d love to sit with her outside a cafe and discuss how the Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and Christians all get along in NYC.

She’ll be with me in spirit…