Miracles
Obituary for my friend, Erica
I am grieving horribly but God still reminds me He is present and working. I just booked a MIRACLE flight back to Ohio, for Erica's funeral (it is SO strange to say that....it doesn't even look right. Oh, now I wish I hadn't, because I'm looking at it and now it looks REAL.)
I got the funeral info last night and started looking for flights immediately, couldn't find anything less than $550 to fly in on time Saturday and leave Sunday. I found a few manageable options to leave Friday afternoon, flying into Dayton instead of Detroit (further away) but didn't know if I could get off work...
Today I talked to my supervisor and she said absolutely, take the whole day if you need it, we will definitely work with you, don't even worry about it. (My sup is this awesome lady, loves people, loves God and is praying for me, always so helpful! It's such a blessing to work for someone like that.) I couldn't book a flight at work due an unusual amount of work craziness, so I looked it up when I got home....and of COURSE no flight even close to the right time or price range to leave Friday and come back Saturday was available. I was not surprised, but still upset and stressed. I thought I would have to drive. In the winter, by myself, and likely crying the whole way--most likely not a hazard-free trip, especially considering my less than superb driving skills. (Well somebody had to say it; it might as well be me!)
I was in despair of trying again for a Saturday flight; as they were the most expensive yesterday, no way would they be cheaper if the Fridays were jacked up today. So I stopped. And prayed. And asked for a miracle. I never just drop everything and stop and pray like that. Usually I stress, and worry, and stress, and get really upset and agitated, and then try to distract myself, and then maybe pray later if I think about it. But this time I was desperate and God had already drawn near to me in my sorrow so I remembered more quickly...and guess what.
MIRACLE FLIGHT!!! It leaves Greensboro, NC SUPER early Saturday and flies into Dayton....with a DETROIT layover at like 8am. (Shut the front door.) Plenty of time to get to the 11am funeral. Then I fly back out of Dayton on Sunday night--and I basically got to pick the time, too. It was only $20 more than the Friday-Sunday flights I was looking at last night, and now that I don't have to take time off work, I will more than make up for that.
SO amazing!! It is still so awful but I know God would not let her die and not bring great things around because of it. For one thing, I am really looking forward to seeing so many people I haven't seen or talked to in months or years. People who were big influences in my life in times past and helped me discover and develop my faith and relationship with God. I still would rather have Erica back and I would give anything for it. But I can't help but think she must be (or would be) soooooooooooo pleased with herself for bringing everyone together like this.
I am still asking for your prayers for her husband Mark, her baby daughter Peyton, and her family & friends. Mark is a STRONG warrior of God and I know he will continue to raise their daughter to be the same. This is always going to suck for them but I know they will be ok and will get through this because God will lift them up.
I still have more to say about her and will keep writing. Thank you for reading.
Maybe my favorite picture of her ever, with daughter, Peyton. This sweet baby girl was alll she ever talked about.
Mark & Erica
Oh one of many Starbucks night, although this one was more of a reunion. Very fun. I remember being pretty jealous of that super cute yellow jacket (Forever 21, if I remember correctly)
I am grieving horribly but God still reminds me He is present and working. I just booked a MIRACLE flight back to Ohio, for Erica's funeral (it is SO strange to say that....it doesn't even look right. Oh, now I wish I hadn't, because I'm looking at it and now it looks REAL.)
I got the funeral info last night and started looking for flights immediately, couldn't find anything less than $550 to fly in on time Saturday and leave Sunday. I found a few manageable options to leave Friday afternoon, flying into Dayton instead of Detroit (further away) but didn't know if I could get off work...
Today I talked to my supervisor and she said absolutely, take the whole day if you need it, we will definitely work with you, don't even worry about it. (My sup is this awesome lady, loves people, loves God and is praying for me, always so helpful! It's such a blessing to work for someone like that.) I couldn't book a flight at work due an unusual amount of work craziness, so I looked it up when I got home....and of COURSE no flight even close to the right time or price range to leave Friday and come back Saturday was available. I was not surprised, but still upset and stressed. I thought I would have to drive. In the winter, by myself, and likely crying the whole way--most likely not a hazard-free trip, especially considering my less than superb driving skills. (Well somebody had to say it; it might as well be me!)
I was in despair of trying again for a Saturday flight; as they were the most expensive yesterday, no way would they be cheaper if the Fridays were jacked up today. So I stopped. And prayed. And asked for a miracle. I never just drop everything and stop and pray like that. Usually I stress, and worry, and stress, and get really upset and agitated, and then try to distract myself, and then maybe pray later if I think about it. But this time I was desperate and God had already drawn near to me in my sorrow so I remembered more quickly...and guess what.
MIRACLE FLIGHT!!! It leaves Greensboro, NC SUPER early Saturday and flies into Dayton....with a DETROIT layover at like 8am. (Shut the front door.) Plenty of time to get to the 11am funeral. Then I fly back out of Dayton on Sunday night--and I basically got to pick the time, too. It was only $20 more than the Friday-Sunday flights I was looking at last night, and now that I don't have to take time off work, I will more than make up for that.
SO amazing!! It is still so awful but I know God would not let her die and not bring great things around because of it. For one thing, I am really looking forward to seeing so many people I haven't seen or talked to in months or years. People who were big influences in my life in times past and helped me discover and develop my faith and relationship with God. I still would rather have Erica back and I would give anything for it. But I can't help but think she must be (or would be) soooooooooooo pleased with herself for bringing everyone together like this.
I am still asking for your prayers for her husband Mark, her baby daughter Peyton, and her family & friends. Mark is a STRONG warrior of God and I know he will continue to raise their daughter to be the same. This is always going to suck for them but I know they will be ok and will get through this because God will lift them up.
I still have more to say about her and will keep writing. Thank you for reading.
Maybe my favorite picture of her ever, with daughter, Peyton. This sweet baby girl was alll she ever talked about.
Mark & Erica
Oh one of many Starbucks night, although this one was more of a reunion. Very fun. I remember being pretty jealous of that super cute yellow jacket (Forever 21, if I remember correctly)
