Another Unexpected Sad Day

One never knows what the next minute will hold. Yesterday morning, my cell phone rang at 7:00 A.M. As I was running to my phone I remember thinking how strange that someone would be calling so early. When I answered the phone, it was Linda and she said she had some really bad news for me. I could tell she was crying. It seems that a very good friend of our's, Renee Baggett died a few hours earlier. This is one of those calls that comes as a complete shock! I was just with Renee last Saturday morning as we set up for Fall Festival. She looked great and was having a wonderful time getting ready for the event. She and Doug were helping get the Men's ministry booth ready. Renee has dealt with health issues for years, but nothing was any different now than it has been all along. As a matter of fact, I thought she looked better last Saturday than I had seen her look in a while.

Doug and Renee were a part of our community group several years ago and we became very close with them during this year. We learn so much about one another during community groups. We learn about people's concerns and where their hearts are. There is no doubt that Renee loved God with all of her heart and her family was very dear to her.

From what I understand, Renee had a headache Wed. night when she went to sleep, which is something she dealt with all the time. When her husband, Doug, tried to awaken her early yesterday morning, he could not awaken her and when paramedics arrived they pronounced her dead.

Death is hard no matter how it comes. This is one of those deaths where the family is totally unprepared and totally shocked. Doug and Renee have been married since Renee was 15 yrs old. Renee is my age, 49. They have been through a lot together and they know that God has been their strength. It was obvious that Doug, after all these years, worships the ground that Renee walks on and he is in a pitiful state of shock and unbelief as you can imagine. Please pray especially for Doug and also for their 3 children, grandchildren as well as Renee's parents.

I woke up in the middle of the night last night not able to sleep for thinking about Doug and how devastated he is. I still can't believe it. I will miss Renee greatly.