Joan Kelly
It’s true when people say that opposites attract. I’m a dreamer, I live up in the clouds. I’m very messy, and completely unaware of it. My wife Laura was practical, down to earth, very detailed, and organized. Everything has a place and everything in its place. When she died I went to the file she had prepared for me called ‘What to do’. In this file was a Calling tree, Funeral plans, Catering, Human Resource person at work, Social Security, Insurance, everything needed to take care of my family’s life. So I start with the Calling Tree. The first person I called was Joan Kelly. Joan had faithfully been bringing dinners over during Laura’s illness. Every time she did my boys would say under their breath,”Thank God Mrs. Kelly brought over some real food, were dying here”.
So I call Joan with the sad news that Laura had passed on and she pours out love and wants to take something off my plate. She won’t take no for an answer. Hesitantly, I gave her the catering to do after the memorial service, only with the understanding that I was paying. Joan said, “Cross it off your list consider it done, and forget about it.” After I hung up, I felt a huge burden lifted.
Following the funeral service, there was a room next door where people were invited to stay for lunch. Everything was great. The food was perfect, people hung out, it was well done. Joan and all of Laura’s friends were serving everyone, it was very nice and a great time.
When I got home I was emotionally exhausted. Later, I heard a knock on the door. I opened the door only to see a van pulling away into the night with a hand waving out the window. Taped on the storm door was an envelope; inside a check for over $900. The note which accompanied the check read, “Here’s the money left over from people who wanted to help with the cost of the catering.”
Jesus comes to us in many forms and faces; this for sure is one of them.