To help financially during this time of great need, please forward your offering to Tom's sister:
Darla Wexttsen, 16738 N. Tolle Lane, Mount Vernon, IL 62864
checks may be made payable to "Grace Community Church"

There is also a deposit account set up at US Bank to help defray Deb's uncovered medical expenses.
Visit any US Bank branch office to make a deposit in cash or by check for "Deborah A. Smith Memorial Fund".
Please be sure to mention Charity Paddock or Nellie Haverkos to be sure the gift is properly deposited.

If you use this link to join iGive.com, then go shopping there, as much as 26% of your purchases will help the family.

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Thursday, June 21, 2007

My Mom

Charity offers this "getting to know Mom" portrait of and accomplished artist and musician, her Mom, Deb:

Deb loves music, both in her home and at worship (the two lines blur). If you enter her kitchen, which was designed to be a combo art studio and eating space, you will see her giant boom box that fills both spaces with music. She listens to a wide variety of music, from Selah to Michael Buble to all types of movie soundtracks. She took many of her personal favorites to work with her as she taught painting and drawing at Frontier Community College. She would tell us about how her students enjoyed listening to music as they painted.

-- Charity

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Family,
I don't know any of you and you don't know me. I was asked by one of your friends to send you words of encouragement at this terrible hour of your cross. Our mutual friend knows that I spent two years helping my friend who had a relapse of breast cancer. It came back with a vengenance.

She is no longer with us, but as I write the pain of losing her and all those precious hours we spent together trying to keep things even keeled for her husband and two children resurfaces, a gentle reminder of my best friend. And by the grace of God I was blessed with the oppurtunity to share her life.

I don't regret one moment of bathing her, cooking for her, driving around running errands with her.

What do I regret? Not recording our moments for her children, the stories the minor events in a mothers life that seem like the most awesome experiences to ones' own child. I regret not making audios of her stories for the future or working on picture albums so that she could write the captions.

I will pray for all of you and wish you the best in the days, months and years to come. Be generous with eachother but squirel away every thought, feeling and moment that you have. Life is never more precious then when the days are counted.

Patty Flick said...

Dear Deb, Tom, and family,
I am greatly missing you and will be calling soon to see if I can "hang out" a little. My love and prayers to all of you and call me if you need me. Patty

Anonymous said...

Dear Deb, Tom and Family
I just wanted to let you know that you are all in my prayers and the prayers of my parents.

Anonymous said...

Tom , Debbie and family
It is a voice from your past ! I saw the picture of Deb and memories flooded back of times at the campus ministry at UC and the times at Fellowship Christian church and the Jesus House. My prayers are with you in this difficult time ! I love this blog ! It is so great to know what is going on and to see pictures of the family ! Wow ! I use to babysit for Charity and now she is all grown with children of her own - who are all beautiful by the way ! I wish there was something I could do to help but know that you are in my thoughts and prayers !

Anonymous said...

Deb,
I am so blessed to have met you. You were and are an inspiration to me. I will never forget when I was going thru my chemo and came to practice freezing cold. You took off your beautful red fuzzy scarf and gently wrapped it around my shoulders. I want you to know that simple act of kindess touched me in so many ways. I am praying for you and your children.

Anonymous said...

Dear Deb,

I’m on a mission to find the envelope of our Judah pictures. Recently, I find myself often reminiscing of those three or four wonderful days in Orlando. The experience was all we anticipated and much more.

One incredible event stands out…the replay button is heavily worn. I know you will remember where your little tribe of worshippers from FCC (Mt. Vernon) was. I believe the epic center was located between you and Jackie when His outpouring of Holy laughter and joy began…it radiated and permeated in a ring throughout our group…then to those around us and on for several rows…and continued well after the conclusion of the service. The laughter was great medicine for all that evening.

I want to share something with you that I have learned from my Brazilian friends. It is the expression Saudade. They say it is the most significant and typical expression of the Brazilian soul. It is a combination of longing and desire, mixed with nostalgia and melancholy. Saudade is the desire for someone or something that is far away and seemingly unattainable. But Saudade is not merely an emotional response to a situation, past experience or memory. It is a state of mind that Brazilians seek and thrive on.

I pray that once again, in these difficult days, that He graces you with a healing balm and blessing of His Holy laughter.

Saudade Deb…may we sit and reminisce one day soon?

david