Closed Windows and Open Doors

There's an expression among Christians "When God closes a door, he opens a window". I know the reference this expression is making. But I'm going to change the expression to my own version: "When God shuts a window, he opens a door". When we let people into our homes, it's through the front door. When we invite people into or 'back into' our lives, it's through the front door. 

In March 1976 my step-mother's father died. My step-mom was very devoted and loyal to her father, having worked for him all her life to that point. He was the strong core of her life. But the void left in her life when his spirit fled through that window was filled immensely just 3 months later when the door of adoption opened and brought my son, her only grandson, into our lives. There isn't enough time or room to write about what that blessing meant to her. But as life left her, new life came to her.    

Paul Dyer and niece Patti Wray Milburn

Earlier this week, Paul Dyer, my step-mom's nephew passed away. He 
would be my cousin (through marriage). While I was processing his death and recalling memories of his life as it intertwined with mine, I promptly received an email from another cousin Cheryl, (through marriage in my step-mother's family) whom I have not seen for at least 50 years. I had no way to find her contact information, but have wanted to send her many of the old family pictures I've been digitizing. She found a photo of her

grandmother's headstone on my web site. Her grandmother was my step-mom's step-mother, Laura Evans Jones, pictured below with my step-mother's dad, my Grandpa Jones. 

Cheryl, with her grandmother and my grandfather,
Jim and Laura Jones

A new door opened as this "cousin" Cheryl and I are now corresponding and sharing family information and getting re-acquainted more than 50 years later.

Linda Diane (Mason) Margheim
1947-2014

Yesterday morning I was saddened to learn of the passing of the friend who was my sister-in-law for more than 30 years. Her friend Ann Beebe shared this photo of Diane (Mason) Margheim on facebook. Another sweet spirit passing through that window of life, to join with the angels of heaven.  

While commenting on facebook about Diane's passing this morning, I noticed a reply/question by someone named Milli Wood, asking if Diane was related to the Dennis Margheim who lived at 22nd & Jefferson in Great Bend, KS in the 1960s. I immediately knew who Milli was, though she's not my facebook friend, and not anyone in my life right now.

I replied to Milli that Diane had been married to Dennis Margheim and that I was Dennis's sister. I knew I was

Milli Donner Wood

commenting to Milli Donner Wood, who served as our babysitter when we were in the 5th and 6th grade. I just knew it! We haven't seen each other since the early 1960s when Milli got married. My last memory of seeing her was at her wedding on an August 10th. It's interesting to note that Dennis and Diane also got married on an August 10th.

We know that people come and go in our lives. It's my experience that it's often in the reverse order. When people go from our lives, others come into our lives, usually within a close proximity of time. I've experienced that twice just in the last few days!