Thursday, April 13, 2017
Thinking about Lou Elmore, heaven, and role models
Most of you have never heard of Lou Elmore. I have known her all my life because she married my older cousin Eppie Elmore. For most of my growing up years our families lived near each other. And when I preached in Winnsboro, TX Eppie was one the deacons. Our kids were little then and Eppie and Lou helped us raise them for about five years.
A few years ago, Eppie lost a leg and Lou became his full-time caregiver. Then she got cancer. Fought cancer, took care of Eppie, and loved her three boys and their families. I still remember when Lou told us she was stopping chemo. It wasn't making her well and she was too sick from the treatment to enjoy the days she had left.
And now she has gone home and I will be preaching her Memorial service tomorrow. Fitting that on Easter weekend I get to talk about Lou.
She loved God with all she had. Taught Bible class for years. Cooked thousands of meals for people. Raised her boys. She was a good lady. Raised in a Christian home and decided to follow Jesus when she was young. Never stopped following.
Loved her neighbors as if they were her own family. Loved her church family. Everyone felt like they were family with Lou and Ep. She cooked, cleaned, and cared for a lot of people.
She shared her faith. There will be people in heaven because Lou cared, invited people to church, and talked about her faith. And that group includes Eppie. She led him to Jesus (with help from my Mom and Dad).
And now she is home. With her God and her Savior. With her folks. With her twin sister Sue.
She wasn't famous. She never was in the spotlight and did not want to be. But Lou was a doer not a talker. She lived her faith. She was love in action.
We need more like Lou Elmore. She made a difference in my life and in the lives of my family. She made a difference in this world. She helped people find the way to Jesus and she helped people stay on that road.
I am glad I will see her again.
So God thanks for Lou. You used her to help a lot of people. You used her to make a difference. So give us more people like her. People who do for You.
A few years ago, Eppie lost a leg and Lou became his full-time caregiver. Then she got cancer. Fought cancer, took care of Eppie, and loved her three boys and their families. I still remember when Lou told us she was stopping chemo. It wasn't making her well and she was too sick from the treatment to enjoy the days she had left.
And now she has gone home and I will be preaching her Memorial service tomorrow. Fitting that on Easter weekend I get to talk about Lou.
She loved God with all she had. Taught Bible class for years. Cooked thousands of meals for people. Raised her boys. She was a good lady. Raised in a Christian home and decided to follow Jesus when she was young. Never stopped following.
Loved her neighbors as if they were her own family. Loved her church family. Everyone felt like they were family with Lou and Ep. She cooked, cleaned, and cared for a lot of people.
She shared her faith. There will be people in heaven because Lou cared, invited people to church, and talked about her faith. And that group includes Eppie. She led him to Jesus (with help from my Mom and Dad).
And now she is home. With her God and her Savior. With her folks. With her twin sister Sue.
She wasn't famous. She never was in the spotlight and did not want to be. But Lou was a doer not a talker. She lived her faith. She was love in action.
We need more like Lou Elmore. She made a difference in my life and in the lives of my family. She made a difference in this world. She helped people find the way to Jesus and she helped people stay on that road.
I am glad I will see her again.
So God thanks for Lou. You used her to help a lot of people. You used her to make a difference. So give us more people like her. People who do for You.
