The Circle of Life

Kim, Kaitlin and John Warneke

30 years ago today a beautiful baby boy was born to Ed and JoEllen Allen. That boy, Barry Justin Allen, is my first nephew. I will never forget when we got the news. I was a 5th grader at Friendship Grade School in Friendship, WI (you'd think they could have come up with a more original name for the school, but, whatever). My younger sister and I were laying in bed when the phone rang just before 10pm. It was my sister, Jo, telling us that Barry had FINALLY been born. If I remember correctly, he was like 2-3 weeks late. Can you even imagine?? YIKES!!! He had a beautiful head of black hair. I was so proud. Now, 30 years later, I'm STILL so proud of him. He's an amazing human being. He graduated from UW-Madison and entered the Peace Corp. He served the PC in Benin, West Africa for two years. Now he's in South Korea. I'm hoping that someday he'll come back to the States to live, but I'm not so sure about that. Barry is so kind and loving. I'm very blessed to have him as my nephew.

Who knew that 30 years to the date from Barry's birth, I would experience the death of my friend Kim. Let me tell you about Kim. Kim Warneke is one of the most amazing women I have ever met in my life. I got to know Kim when I began working as Children's Minister at Ezekiel Lutheran Church in River Falls, WI. I had her daughter Kaitlin (now 16) in my ministry there. What a loving, kind, positive person Kim (and her husband John and Kaitlin) was. It's so hard to talk about her in the past tense. Kim was young...I think about 45. She taught 3rd grade at Hudson Prairie Elementary School in Hudson, WI. That's the same school where my sis-in-law teaches 1st grade, so Cheryl is very much hurting today, too. Lots of people are. About 6 years ago or so Kim was diagnosed with breast cancer. NOT fair...but life is seldom fair. She beat it. She was almost 5 years cancer free when they found the cancer had come back. That was in March of this year. Kim has endured treatment after treatment after treatment. She did not wint the battle this time. I should say she didn't wint the PHYSICAL battle this time. Kim entered the hospital on Wednesday because they knew her time was very short. She was having a very difficult time breathing and they found the cancer had gotten to her lungs. It had also been in her bones for quite a while and she was in so much pain. I went to visit her on Thursday night and I didn't even recognize her...except for her beautiful spirit and soul that, even to the very end, remained. Even in death Kim was gracious and kind. Never complaining. Please keep Kim's family (especially John and Kaitlin) in your prayers. Funeral arrangements will be made tomorrow. I'm so glad that my friend is no longer suffering.

So it's the circle of life. Barry was born, Kim has died. Hope is also at a BIRTHday party for one of her classmates today. So it truly is the circle of life. Peaks and valleys.

I'm going to end this post with a dream I had last night. I dreamed that Kim and I decided to take a nice drive along the Mississippi River. It was beautiful and peaceful. We had no destination, no schedule. Of course we did take a detour to a shopping mall so we could go shopping. lol At about 4:50 this morning I shot up from a deep sleep and it took me a while to remember what day it was because I had been sleeping so deeply and woke up so quickly. I couldn't get back to sleep. Finally just after 5:30 this morning peace overcame me and I was able to go back to sleep (although not for long since I had the alarm set for 6:30 so I could get to work on time). Just as I was about to step out the door (running late...UGH!), the phone rang. Caller ID showed it was my sister in law. Mark wasn't going to pick up the phone but I asked him to because I knew what it was. I knew it was Cheryl calling to tell me that Kimmy had died. I was right. Kim passed away at 5:30 this morning. I think I already knew.

Hold those dear to you a little more tightly. Life is too short and too precious to hang on to pettiness, anger and all those things (and people) that drag you down. I think I have my New Year's Resolution. Thank you for all the lessons you taught me, Kim! I love you and miss you. Be well! Be at peace!