Johanna's Birthday!

A couple of weeks ago my youth group and I went to the nursing home just to visit. We split up into groups of about 3 or 4 people. I was with my best friends, Carlee, Eva and this one girl named Reagan. Our group leader was Karen, who is having a baby! We visited two lovely ladies! One we met was from Germany and her name was Johanna. She was so sweet and she told us that her birthday was coming up soon. She told us December 1st she would be 90 years old and here in the U.S. for 60 years!!! One thing I remember her saying was, "Go when you have the chance because you may never have that chance again." She was so right on! She has been quite a few places mostly because of where she lived, she could go country to country in hours time.

She went around our circle of girls asking us each where we would like to go, when she came to Carlee she hadn't yet made up her mind and Johanna said, "Well, you can dream!" in the sweetest most loving voice of all. We decided that night after we left we were going to go and see her on her birthday. So last night Carlee, Karen & I met up at Starbucks, went and got her some flowers, and visited with her for about an hour. The smile and happiness in her face when she saw the flowers we got her was priceless. She just kept saying Thank You to us.

We talked all about her suprise birthday party, and her cake, the gifts she got, and how her sons and grandsons were popping balloons! She got a new purse and it was in her hands the whole time we were talking! I feel so blessed to be able to know someone like her. Each time before we leave we ask if she needs prayer for anything and she says "You can always pray. ALWAYS!" I prayed for us all before we left last night. Words cannot even begin to describe how awesome it is to know her and the people at my church who are willing to go and visit people often. Last night Johanna was asking how we met and we said through church, her face just gained a smile. A soft, sweet smile of a wise woman.

Please as you go throughout you day, pray for her. Pray she will continue to be comforted by God and feel so loved. Please pray we continue to grow in our friendship with her.
(:  Did I mention that her favorite color is blue and her favorite flowers are pink roses? Next time we know what to buy!