My mom came to visit this past weekend. She brought a book that was written by a lady back in my hometown of Brigham City. It was a compilation of short stories and poems a bible verses. It was beautiful. There was one story in particular that I wanted to read. It was written by the daughter of my Sunday school teacher from High school. Her name was Ilene. I was nervous about reading it. I knew it was going to stir up emotions that I didn't want to relive. Not that they were bad memories, just more sad memories. You see, Ilene was killed in a plane crash in March, 2003. My heart broke when I found out. She was very special to me. She helped me through some of the toughest times in my life. When I felt no one else was there, she always was. With a heavy heart, I read this short story written by her daughter.
The story is called "I Will Rise" by Kati Germer. It is a moving account of the day she lost both of her parents. Ilene's husband, Buzz, had been battling cancer and was in the hospital in Salt Lake City. He got a reluctant "ok" from the doctor to go home (home being Sun Valley, Idaho). Buzz was more than ready to go. They called a close friend who owned a private plane and he came to pick them up and take them home. Kati goes on to talk about how it was her niece's birthday so they were trying to get Ilene and Buzz taken care of at the airport so they could go back to the birthday party. Not that they were hurrying them along but it was just a typical day. Who knew what was eventually going to happen. A couple of hours later Kati got a call from her sister in Idaho saying the plan never landed. They had run into a bad snow storm. The plane had fallen off the radar. When the wreckage was found, there was nothing left. No survivors.
While sifting through the wreckage, they came across one item that had managed to survive, Buzz's bible. It was still in very good condition. In fact, there is a picture of it in the book. Kati goes on to talk about how she wondered if Ilene and Buzz were holding onto that bible when their plane went down. If that bible had given them comfort in a time of shear terror. Kati talks about an email Ilene had sent her just before the accident. It was a typical Ilene email (or letter in my case.). It had this bible verse in it:
"Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise. Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me".-Micah 7:8 (NASB)
Kati used this verse as comfort during such a hard time. It was a way for her mother to comfort her before the accident. Isn't it amazing how God works? When Ilene sent this email to her children, she had no idea what was in store for her. Kati also talks about a passage that was in the devotional "Our Daily Bread". She said it fit the situation so well. She and her siblings had a memorial made with it on it.
"The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever,"-Isaiah 40:8 (NASB)
I was such a beautiful story about the love of this family in a time of tragedy. I wish I could put my memories of this wonderful woman on a slide show so everyone could see how truly wonderful she was. She was (and still is) my inspiration! She was an incredible Sunday school teacher. I learned so much from her. Things that have stayed with me for many years. Now that I am a Children's church teacher (and leader) I keep in mind how she taught and how she loved us and how she inspired us. I can only hope I can be half the teacher she was. I look at my kids in children's church and I can only pray that I can be as good a teacher as she was. When I really start getting down about things in Children's church, I remember Ilene and I suck it up and find a way to fix it. The children are the important part, we are just there to help guide them.
Another reason she was such an inspiration was that she never gave up on her husband. Many of you know the situation with mine. He doesn't go to church and he doesn't get involved. Ilene's husband was the same way for many years. She never gave up on him. She prayed for him relentlessly. She was a good "single church mom". She brought her kids to church every Sunday by herself. She did what she had to. God finally answered her prayers and Buzz came to Christ a few years before their death. I have this image in my head of the two of them walking hand in had into the gates of heaven. This only happened because she never gave up on him. She knew God would eventually answer her prayer. Now they are together in heaven. when I start thinking my situation is hopeless, I remember her relentless faith. I can't give up. My prayers will be answered in God's time, just like Ilene.
I am thankful that God put Ilene in my life. She still gives me inspiration. I keep her letters and notes that she sent me close to my bed. When I really let things get to me, I can pull those up and read her notes of encouragement. She is part of the reason I am who I am today and for that, I can never say Thank you enough. We are planning a trip back to Utah next summer and I had actually thought about driving to Sun Valley to see the memorial her children put up. I don't know if I will make it, but I know it is there. We will have to see what happens.
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