Ada Forester was part of my life from the time I was a little girl. She went home to be with Jesus this past week at the age of 95. She finished her journey well; Countless people shared that “she was one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known!”
I’ve thought about that this week as I’ve contemplated the impact she had on my life and the lives of so many other people.
Our families went to church together, starting back when I was about six years old, and my earliest memories of Mrs. Forester were of going with my mother to Bible study meetings at her house. It’s funny the details a child remembers. Whenever I think of those evenings there, I remember the brownies she baked and the Tab and Fresca they served. Most of all, I remember the warm welcome that was always there.
Once I started school, Mrs. Forester picked me up each afternoon when she came for her son, and I stayed with her until my mother got off work. Those were days of feeling loved, wanted, and secure, a special gift for a child whose world had recently been rocked when my parents divorced.
She was part of my life for the next fifty years, a beloved blessing and a daily example of how we should all live. So today I thought I’d share some things I learned from Ada Forester that will serve all of us well:
- Her life was infused with sweetness because she spent time with God—and then that sweetness overflowed into the lives of others. Can you imagine how different our world would be if more of us did that?
- In a world that’s often filled with grumps, her joy was contagious. What if we shared the joy of Jesus each day?
- She was always the same. That sounds so simple, but it was a gift.
- She dispensed love and hugs with ease. Hugs that comforted and healed, and love that took root in hearts and lives. What if more of us made that effort?
- She was faithful—to her family, her friends, and to her church. Even when she couldn’t hear the services, she still wanted to be there. Her footsteps led others to God—and all of us can do the same.
- She endured hardships with grace. She was in assisted living and a nursing home for many years. Her hearing and sight were bad. Her ability to taste had disappeared. But in all the times my husband and I visited her, we never once heard her complain. Not once. Instead, she always talked about how good God had been to her. What if more of us focused on our blessings instead of our difficulties?
Ada Forester finished well. What are we going to do with that same opportunity?
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7
