Week 354 - Touched by an Angel - 05-27-2013

Touched by an Angel

Our travelogues began seven years ago as an email to a few family members and friends. Today, it is read by hundreds, most fellow RVers who do not know our friends from home. To them, we want to introduce Paula, our close friend from home and a servant of the Lord. Paula, is a fellow RVer, and Ellen has been in contact with her throughout our years of travel. We have met Paula at Santa Margarita Lake, Avila Beach and Palm Springs. When we come home to Atascadero Paula always invites us over for dinner. When Ellen took her first train ride home in 2006, Paula was the one who picked Ellen up at the train station in San Luis Obispo. Paula has always been a faithful friend.

As you can see Paula is short in stature but has a big heart. (Shown here with Sue, Paula, Janet; Pete, Janice, John, Becky, Tim, Nitzi, Paula, Janet, Ellen; Janet, Paula, Janice and Sandy)

And she is always there, with a smile on her face, whenever there is a birthday, wedding, (Diana, Paula, Sandy, Janice, Nitzi, Ellen; Ellen, Paula; Diana, Janet, Paula)

a luncheon, a dinner or any social event. (Paula, Diana; Paula, Donnalee; Paula, Janet, Anna and Becky)

This is especially true if anyone needs help in preparing for the gathering. (Becky, Nitzi, Paula, Janet and Ellen).

Paula has hosted countless dinners at her house. Whenever we come home or as in this photo when Emily and Chad came for a visit, Paula invited us over for a gourmet meal.

Janet, another close friend, has catered meals for all our children's weddings. We never get any photos of Janet or Paula at the wedding ceremonies or enjoying the receptions, as they are busy servants, preparing and serving the meals.

Paula's favorite RV spot is here at the "jetty" in Avila Beach. She was the first to tell us about fantastic site where six families could gather together surrounded on three sides by water (sadly the jetty is now closed).

Besides being a servant to us and many others, Paula drives to Shell Beach every Sunday to take care of her ailing father shown here at Avila. And during the week she cares for ex-husband's Uncle George who lives near her.

Today (May 27th) is Paula's birthday. A few years ago she was diagnosed with cancer and happily she was cured. But in recent months the cancer came back with a vengeance. She was told that she had only a few months to live. We had hoped to take Paula on our trip to Hawaii, but she was not strong enough to go. Her only child, her son Shawn, and his fiancée Alex, live in Montana and planned to visit Paula in June. The doctor told them to come quickly to have some quality time with Mom. They arrived two weeks ago, the day we returned from Maui. While their wedding date was scheduled for November, there was no way Paula would live to see it. So they rescheduled the event and in four days put together a wedding that you would never have known was not planned for years. Our daughter Melissa is a wedding photographer and is booked for most weekends. However, Melissa declined to book a wedding near her own birthday, May 20th. Because of this, Melissa was able to bless the couple and Paula with these and hundreds of other photos. We see this as God's hand on Paula, His servant.

Ellen, Paula and Janet have been close friends for decades. Christmas 2012 was the last of hundreds of times that these three were together for a group photo.

Paula passed away on Friday, May 24th, three days before her 62nd birthday. She will be missed and never forgotten. As this photo reminds us, she always smiles, is full of love, she is a servant and a friend.

We have truly been Touched by an Angel, love Pete and Ellen

Mark 9:35 "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Photos from May 2013