The Old Beautiful Suitcase

As I sat on her couch she walked into the other room.  Her sweet voice called from her bedroom, "Sister Kim, come in here, I want to show you something." As I walked into her room I saw her reaching into her closet.  She pulled out an old, worn suitcase.  Nothing fancy, just a plain hard suitcase that was probably at least 40 years old.  I wondered what she would want to show me.  She opened it and inside was a sweet treasure. It was all the things she took with her when she labored in the gift that she loved.  It was Sister Doris' birth suitcase.  Inside was a notebook.  It was a detailed account of each birth that she attended written in her own hand.  I asked, "Sister Doris, can I take this into the other room and read it?" She replied, "yes".  I sat back down on the couch and began to read each account.  It was like reading a history book about those that I love so much.  I was touched that she shared it with me.  As I flipped the pages my Mom looked at me and said, "I didn't even know there WAS a book."  I sat closer to her and together went through it.  Sister Doris began to give some sweet instruction when laboring in the gift.  It is a gift that we both share and love.  We began to share experiences.  It was such a treasured visit.  Before leaving I went back into her room to find the suitcase lying open on her bed.  I laid the notebook inside and gently closed the lid and ran my hand  across the top.  My mind thought about all the times that precious suitcase was loaded into the car, the many memories that were shut inside.  That old suitcase will always mean so much to me, Sister Doris will always mean so much to me, her sweet labors of love, her words of encouragement, her sweet smile that warmed your heart and her ability to give you a spankin' and because of her tender way you didn't realize you were being spanked until later.  All she saw was the good in anyone, no one was "mean" but only "misunderstood".  Lord, give me a love like this.  

As they lay her to rest tomorrow I will remember that old worn suitcase.  The love that she carried with it and the memories filled inside.