...Come On!

Yesterday in the early morning hours my kind, beautiful, hilarious, life-loving, courageous, Aunt Barbara Kelly Kotmair stepped into heaven.  Barb fought a tough five year battle with cancer and WON! I say won because I know that she is seeing Jesus face to face and hearing “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

Aunt Barb is my mom’s baby sister and the youngest daughter of Virgil & Ruth Kelly’s eight children (5 boys & 3 girls). So as you can imagine after 72 years of life, she has a huge family.  Now, when most people say “family” they are referring to “immediate” family, siblings or children. Not the Kelly’s! When we say family we mean siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, cousins twice removed and so on. We stick together like super glue on fingers or bubble gum on shoes.  The Kelly’s are the loudest, craziest, most opinionated, stubborn, people in the world. But…they are also the most loving, caring, giving, hospitable, hardworking, accepting and generous people you will ever have the privilege of knowing. 

It has been our tradition over the last 11 years, due to so many of us scattered all over the United States, to have a Kelly family reunion every three years.  I can’t tell you how many times the 70+ Kelly’s have infiltrated a hotel or restaurant and total strangers will come up to us with the same question…”How can we join your family?”  The beautiful part of that is the answer is and has always been…” Come On!”  This “Come On” attitude was passed down from my grandparents. I called them Pappy & Mammy. I have heard story after story of how Pappy & Mammy would welcome people into their modest home for weeks, months and even years. The Kelly kids would bring home a friend who needed a place to stay and without question there was room made for them in the already tight quarters.  Even through my 50 years watching as boyfriends, girlfriends, new wives, new husbands and stepchildren entered “the family” the open arms and “come on” has continued. They immediately knew they were welcome and they were loved.  

The next few weeks are going to be very lonely for all of the Kelly’s until we gather on November 15^th to celebrate the beautiful life of my Aunt Barb. There will be tears and laughter. There will be stories and prayers. It will be like so many times before where we will lean on one another and hold fast to the fact that we are strong and we are family. The hardest part will be that a bright light in our family will be missing.  Aunt Barb’s infectious laugh will not be heard and her tight loving hugs will not be felt.  The loss is great but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she has now experienced absolute healing and feeling inexpressible joy!  Every promise of God is now fulfilled in her life and all sad things have become untrue.  I can just imagine that moment as Aunt Barb stepped into the awesomeness of heaven and heard the undeniable voices of my Mammy & Pappy as they smiled and said…Come on!

Just Sayin'

KJ

Freedom Through The Cancer!

It's October the "designated" Breast

Cancer emphasis month. Yes, I battled Breast Cancer from most of 2007 through 2012 with 5 rounds of Chemo (including a trial drug that almost killed me), 33 rounds of radiation and 5 years of the "hormone hell" drug Tamoxifen. Yes, it was one of the hardest times of my 50 years of life. But ... the truth is, if I had the ability to go back and skip cancer I would say NO... I wouldn't change a thing.  I know you think that I have lost my ever-lovin' mind. And, the HUNDREDS of times I have had the opportunity to make that statement to others I get  the same reaction.  

You see Breast Cancer stripped away the things that were keeping me from absolute freedom.  First, it took the ridiculous idea that I was IN CONTROL. It showed me that no matter how much I had planned and organized my life I didn't account for a lumpectomy on May 25, 2007 with a stage 2 cancer diagnosis and all that followed.

Second, Breast Cancer took my PRIDE. On August 6, 2007 I stood in front of my bathroom mirror with one breast mangled from surgery and watched as my strong hunk of a husband shaved my head as tears poured down both of our faces. It was a surreal moment for us as a couple. I had to come to terms with the fact that I was more than a head of thick beautiful hair that, by the way, had been my "crowing glory" most of my life. I had, since high school, been the girl with the fabulous hair. I had some cockamamie belief that all that hair was hiding all my flaws from the rest of the world.

Lastly, Breast Cancer took away any DOUBT that God was real and that He was faithful! Nothing slaps mortality in your face like a life threatening disease. I had to completely rely on the God I had talked about and prayed to and hoped was real.  I spent days feeling like I had been hit by a Mac Truck wrapped up in a soft blanket and combing through chapter upon chapter of my Bible. Resting in God's word as it covered and comforted me.  Those days were hard but so sweet. God held me so tenderly and sent angel after angel in the form of friends and family to care for me physically, mentally and spiritually.   

As crazy as it sounds I count those days as some of the best days of my life.  They brought me absolute freedom! Freedom to rely on God for my every need. Freedom to trust Him with my healing and provision. And... freedom to believe that even if I was not going to be healed in this life Jesus had selflessly already provided my way to the next.  

I wouldn't wish cancer on my worst enemy but I do pray that each and everyone of you come to know the sweetness and the freedom of letting go and letting God have you completely!

Psalm 59:16 "But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for You (God) are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble!"

Freedom is Fabulous!

Just Sayin'
KJ

I Don't Care! (The post that started it all)

Last week during lunch with a friend a conversation we began about life and love took a "spiritual" turn. (Most of my conversations usually do.) I posted a portion of that conversation on Facebook that afternoon.  It was "the" post that began this blogging idea.  I feel that for reference I need to add it to my blog.  
Feel free to share. :-)
___________________________

October 16, 2014

I had a friend ask me today 
where I stood on Calvinism and predestination. I looked at him, smiled and said I stand on Jesus! He looked at me confused and asked me what I meant? I told him exactly what I feel... and that is... I DON'T CARE! I don't care if it was or was not predestined for me to follow Jesus. I don't care if I "really" had no say in the matter. I don't give a flying flip if anyone and I mean anyone does or does not believe in predestination BECAUSE I solely stand on Jesus and the Gospel. 

I KNOW that Jesus died for MY sins. I KNOW the Holy Spirit lives in me and guides me every moment of every day. AND I know that when my time on earth is over I WILL spend eternity in heaven with my Savior! 

So... WHEN I'm in Heaven and God ask the "big" question of "Why Should I Let You Into My Heaven" ....trust me... my only answer will be JESUS!

Just Sayin'

KJ

First Blog Ever... WHAT????

Hello My Friends,

Yes...Although kicking and screaming, I have entered the blogging world. Never in a million years did I think I had anything worth sharing to the world. Yes, I am vocal (watch it!) and yes somewhat opinionated but blogging????

Well, a recent "soap box" I jumped on while on Facebook prompted a ton of messages to me about blogging. I laughed at first and then began to pray about it. Do I have wisdom from life experiences to share? Can what I have been through in my life help/change others?

So... here I am... a 50 year old, Jesus follower, wife to my mediator/tractor driving husband, mother of an independent almost 24 year old mini-me, daughter of Bob & Jan the "super couple", former bitter divorcee, recovering legalistic Christian, over-the-hill passionate youth volunteer, 7 year breast cancer survivor, PR guru, swing band singer and one incredibly blessed chick!

It's un-telling what you will get from me on a given post. It may make you laugh or it may really tick you off! But I can promise you this, it will be honest, real and full of mistakes. Yep...mistakes because I am an imperfect soul with a perfect Savior and in the end... that's all that matters!

Just Sayin'

KJ