By the time you read this it will be five days since I found out a friend of mine from West Point died last year, right up the road in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Deirdre Sisson Etheridge was like my big sister when I was a Plebe at West Point, and a tremendous lady. We snag in the Catholic Folk Group every week. Without her support and encouragement life would have been pretty dreary those first few years. She left behind a husband and two children. I hope they are going strong, and she is in the arms of the Lord.

During the week these photos will post we are also burying our pastor Father Austin at St. Thomas Aquinas in Alpharetta. He too passed unexpectedly. In just about a year he invigorated many efforts at our parish to reach out to many people and help them enhance their spiritual journeys though kindness, love, encouragement, and being a Father moving changes along.

This picture of my youngest is the type of moment I know I need to continue to enjoy, because in a flash we could all be history...and I may never get another opportunity to enjoy them. Life is short, and it will be full of struggles. I hope it is full of struggle, because nothing of excellence built for the Lord ever comes easy. The Devil can't let us have too many free successes...it would ruin his reputation.

So here is to Deirdre, Father Austin and us...that we may all one day be able to enjoy such memories (and make new ones) together worshiping in heaven with the Lord.

-ehw