I Know That God is Aware of Me

This week was extremely difficult for me. I lost my friend that was in hospice. Her name was Jan. The night that I left early was the last time I had to spend time with her. I didn't know that then. I usually went after the Pathways program to see her in the Kaplan Hospice in Newburgh. I saw how late things were running the week before and was afraid that I wouldn't get to spend enough time with her before she would go to sleep for the night. So I decided to skip the academic portion and went to see my dear Jan. She was surprised to see me so early. We had a wonderful time together. I missed her. I hadn't seen her since the Thursday, the week before Thanksgiving. We talked about plans she orchestrated for the 17th of December. She put together a Christmas program that included musicians and friends from Yonkers and singers from Florida, NY. She was very excited about it. I was planning a sleep over that Friday, so we were going to be together that evening through Saturday night. She passed away last Tuesday morning. I wasn't there because they weren't able to reach me since I don't have a phone, or internet service at home, at the current time. I found out when I went to my Rock Hill family's house and was able to listen to the voicemail messages that were left on my Google phone number account. By that time, however, it was too late. Due to work, homework, and helping my Rock Hill family, I didn't have the time to truly grieve the lost of someone who had filled a void left in my life since my wife left me. I chose to do that on Sunday.
This same Sunday, late in the afternoon, I yearned to be with other people. I didn't want to be alone. I went somewhere to access a wifi signal and wasn't able to connect with anyone. Then suddenly, out of the blue, my friend Paulie, from the Newburgh Ward, sends me a text and invites me to come with him to a Christmas program in Poughkeepsie. He offered to pick me up, feed me, and take me to the show. It was so unbelievable that I checked to make sure he wasn't sending this text to someone else and sent it to me by mistake. His response was, "I'm going to Middletown to pick you up." If that wasn't wonderful enough, just to be with some friends, we got to see a wonderful program filled with new friends I've made from the Pathway program. The smiles of these familiar faces warmed my heart. I was comforted from my lost. I was carried, when I could no longer walk. My Father in Heaven saw to it that my heart would be comforted in my lonely time of mourning and filled with love from friends. We are all brothers and sisters, but not all friends. That was the fantastic difference. I felt the warmth of friends as they saw me and smiled. There was recognition in their eyes that said, "I know you, and I am glad to see you".
To my friends in the Pathways program, I will miss you but we will see each other again. I will not be continuing through the next semester because I need to focus on other priorities. Your friendship, your testimonies, and all the things you taught me will always be a part of me for the rest of my life. Thank you. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for His awareness of me. I am grateful for what he gave me this Sunday evening. I know this church is true. I know that in my heart and through the testimonies of my FRIENDS. I declare this in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.