I lost a very dear friend Sunday night - Donna. She was 68 and had severe diabetes. She and her husband and most of their kids and grandkids go to church with us. When we first moved here, she had had one leg amputated, but walked with a prosthesis. She had lost kidney function years before and had received one kidney from her sister. She was such an inspiration to me - she was always upbeat, warm, kind, and at peace.

Over the last 10 years, she had increasing health problems. She eventually had to have her other leg amputated and was in a wheelchair. You never really took in how sick she was, though, because she never acted like it. She would give my kids rides in her electric wheelchair, or let them push her around in the regular one, let them check out her prostheses (she called them her "bionic legs"), and tell funny stories about dialysis.

A few weeks ago she fell while transferring from her wheelchair and hurt her upper leg. I don't know if this was a cause or a symptom, but she apparently just got weaker and sicker. Since she had had so many episodes of illness over the years, I didn't realize how serious this one was.

We had our Christmas program Sunday night at church, and we were planning to go see her at the hospital afterwards. However, while we were standing around visiting after church the family got a phone call to get to the hospital right away. She died even before some of the kids could get over there.

We dropped our kids off at my inlaws and went on up to the hospital. There were about 30 people up there grieving, but her sons had such a good spirit. They said, "Mom's up in heaven running on her new legs. She got the best Christmas present she could have - no more pain, no more sickness, no more dialysis. We're really kind of jealous!"

I feel cheated that I didn't get to see her again, but also guilty because I should have gone to see her sooner. I had been telling myself to go for a while, but something always interfered. Steve and I have been asked to sing at the funeral on Saturday after Christmas. I hope I can get through it. I really feel bad for the family, losing someone you love at Christmas just sincerely stinks, even when you know they're in a better place.