May Angels Lead You In - Ruth

I have a dear friend Ruth. I actually knew her husband before I knew her as he was one of my children's doctors. 
 
We had an opening in our bunko group many years ago and one of my friends suggested that we invite Ruth to join. She was an INSTANT fit. 

Every time we visited Ruth's home for bunko, it was over the top amazing. She would try new recipes and we would never leave unhappy or with any room in our tummies. She is a fabulous decorator and her home was all out for every holiday. She would even cook special meals on the holidays to match. I LOVED following her activities as she always had some fun thing going. 
 
My daughters wedding sandwiches which are now our favorite sandwiches were a recipe I got from Ruth. Click here for that recipe. Here is a post about the soup we served at the wedding which was also a recipe from Ruth and I mention her in this post. Squash and Curry soup. 

I don't have a large following on my blog but Ruth was one of my regular followers and would often comment on posts or things I was doing in my life that I posted about. She always had a nice comment to say. She's commented on my "In God We Trust" posts a few times about how I find coins when I need to trust God and know that what is happening is His will. (Type "In God We Trust" in the search box at the bottom for all the times I have found coins just when needed.)
 
A few years ago, I attended her daughters wedding and introduced myself to the grooms parents as "Ruth's good friend."  The father said, "Oh, your her "Good" friend." and I was taken back pondering on how good a friend I really was to Ruth. Ruth leaned over and said, "Oh, she is." I joked about this with her a few times about being her "good" friend and we talked about it just last month.

Last week, we had dinner at Ruth's home. First thing in the morning she texted me saying that everything she was serving that night was gluten free and she shared each website where she got the recipe. She even made "gluten free cake" which was funny as she commented on how she wasn't a baker and wasn't sure how it would turn out as it is a tricky recipe but it turned out great and everyone enjoyed it. Here is a post on that cake. 



I can't tell you how much that show of friendship meant to me. I thanked her over and over. I usually wait until about an hour before bunko and call the hostess asking what she is serving because I don't want them to have to make something different for me. If they have made something I can't eat, I eat at home and just enjoy their company but have never asked anyone to cater to my needs. It was so sweet of her to go to that trouble for me. Everyone enjoyed every part of the meal, it was wonderful. She even bought me gluten free tortillas.

I got a call early this morning from a mutual friend telling me that our dear friend and her husband passed away in a car accident leaving their five children behind. It was a horrible long day crying each time I thought about those children having to deal with this great loss. They have one in elementary school still and one serving as a missionary over seas. The sorrow this will bring into their lives is so overwhelming. 

As I pondered on the day, I felt like it must be God's will for this horrible thing to happen and struggled with that. A bunch of our bunko group got together this evening at a friends to visit. I pulled in facing the wrong direction on the street to park which I never do but had to drop of Princess five at cheer so I was running late. I had my purse in the front seat and was just going to lock the car up and leave it. As I was about to lock the doors, I actually got back in, grabbed my purse and took it to put in the trunk. My friend lives on a circle so it would have been fine on the seat so I am not sure why I did that until I went to open the trunk and there on the ground at my feet was a penny. My camera on my phone broke but I took a picture of the penny when I arrived home later.

 
I KNOW that penny was from Ruth. She was letting me know to Trust in God and that this was meant to be. I cried again and that penny will not be joining all the "found" money in my jar but will always hold a special place on my "Gratitude Frame" as it truly was from her. 

Later, as I sat pondering, I really felt like she came to say "goodbye" to me letting me know that everything is "OK" and that her children will be watched over. Then this scripture came into my mind. 

Ruth 1:16-17

16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

I feel like Ruth truly loved her husband to this degree and didn't want to be left behind. I also feel like her name was always meant to be "Ruth" as she is noble, loyal and great just like Ruth in the old testament. 

Ruth, you are a "good" friend to me and I look forward to being reunited with you when the time comes.... 

The Band, "Jimmy Eat World" holds a special place in my heart and here is a post about that but I wanted to wish you God speed on your new journey and say, "May Angels Lead You In" or "Hear you Me!" by Jimmy Eat World