Dara

I seem to have problems keeping up with this blog. I don't know why because I do really enjoy blogging. I'm going to try to do better. I know I know you have heard that before, but I will try.

A while ago I wrote a blog homage to my oldest sister. I wrote it because I wanted to express some of my love my family. And to state it individually. Not as a blanket statement but to share the little individual ways they have touched my life. To give tribute to them as separately. My sisters and brothers have enriched my life so incredibly. A large part of who I am is because of them. My siblings have inspired me. Encouraged me. Challenged me. They give me such happiness. Many, many times of laughter. Though at times they have caused my faith to be strengthened through trial and tribulation. Hehe. I think that that's all apart of being a family.

Being family doesn't mean you have a lack of conflicts and arguments it means working through them until there is resolution. Now don't get me wrong my family is by no means perfect. Like everyone we are still learning. There is now the learning of how to deal with each other now that most of us are adults and no longer children. Taking on new challenges and difficulties. But through all of this there is the confidence of a secure foundation of love holding us. I am so thankful for that. Beyond words I'm thankful for it.

This next blog is a tribute to my sister Dara. Ah Dara, where to start. My sister Dara like Angeline is one of the sisters I bummed around with more then the others. Actually I would have to say Dara is probably the one the bummed around with the most. Angeline had her own friends that she would do things with but Dara and I 'shared' friends. Isn't it funny how that works, when you are a kid the ages are so distinct and separate but as you get older age doesn't matter much. Now we all have friends that we 'share'. But back then, not so much. Like I said Dara and I shared friends so usually it was the both of us doing things together. Not only that but we shared a room together. You don't really know someone until you share a room. Many a night was spent in long conversations of everything and nothing. Even after Dara got her own room she would let me 'sleep over'.

We used to tease Dara because she was always the voice of our conscience in our group of friends growing up. We had a friend who always had these wonderful, awful ideas. Usually it involved us doing something we shouldn't. Dara would always remind us that we should do what is right. That Jesus wouldn't want us to do this. This of course didn't necessarily sit well with the rest of us. I'm proud of my sister for standing up for what is right even when it wasn't popular or easy. Like I said we teased her about being a goody two shoes but it's because of her we didn't get in more trouble then we did. And it didn't matter who we were with my sister had a very good sense of what was right and what was wrong. If it was wrong she wouldn't do it. Please don't get the idea that she was boring and a sick in the mud. That is totally not the case. She just has very good ethics. She wouldn't let people push her to do something she knew she shouldn't.

My sister has been a great sounding board and balancer for me. She always encourages me to do more, to be better. I don't know how many times we have gotten into long conversations about what God is sharing with us. My sister is a good example of being faithful to the call God places in your life. As I mentioned before my oldest sister has been in a couple of ministry groups. One has even taken her overseas. I think sometimes it's just as hard to be the one God chooses to stay as it is to go. As hard as it can be for the one who goes the one who stays has to constantly deal with staying fired up and encouraged. The daily drag is exactly that. I personally think sometimes the people who say behind have a harder time of getting out of the rut of life and realizing how the mission field and God's plan is here. To be excited when there is nothing to be excited for. I have seen my sister faithfully serve where God has placed her. Wanting to do something different but accepting that this is God's plan for now. Dara is such a inspiration to me.

My sister is very creative. She knitted, yes hand knitted, me a absolutely gorgeous scarf. Unfortunately it was just before I moved here to Hawaii and the scarf was way too warm. She can be very patient and disciplined. She has written and directed plays. Acted in many plays at church. She leads worship at church and has a beautiful voice. I am always blessed by her openness to the Holy Spirit and His leading. She loves music, making it, listening to it. She was my major source music. I would always steal here cd's and she being the nice sister would let me. She is very generous. Giving of herself and her time. She would always be the first one to mention praying over something. She's solid. Making sure she's grounded in God. In most difficult times of my life she has been there. If not physically then through prayer. We always used to tease Dara because she's such a beauty that most guys who came to church developed a crush on her. Though I think it was more then just how pretty she is. I think they were more attracted to who she is. A incredible woman of God. I know I haven't nearly done you justice but thank you Dara, I love you!