A tribute to my sister:

Yesterday was a special day. Thirty-three years ago my sister Bonnie was born. We had no idea that God's plan for her life here on earth was mapped out for only twenty-seven years, and perhaps in many ways we took her life for granted while she was still here. It just natural to have her part of our lives... until she was taken away from us. And then I realized really how precious her life was, and how fortunate I was to have her as a sister. Her love, life, and everything she taught me has tremendously influenced me in so many ways.

Nelly wrote this little poem in memory of her life...

No Birthdays in Heaven

Should we say she would have been 33
When God's plan was 27?
Can we speak of age while in glorified state
She's no longer counting in heaven?

But in this time-restricted place
On 'would haves' we naturally dwell
Since our minds are too small to conceive of at all
What actually IS for her now! ...

Bonnie is home with her Savior, dwelling forever in the land where no tears or sadness can be found; but what about the rest of us still here? I miss her, and sometimes I long to see and talk to her so much that my heart aches. We soon learned time can heal only to the extent of numbing the pain, but God is the ultimate healer of broken hearts. He provided us with a peace beyond our understanding, and a joy and strength to carry on.
Yes, it has been over 5 years ago now since Bonnie left us with just the memory of her smile. The questions remain still unanswered. Sometimes we even still cry, but when we do they are with tears of hope; hope for that day when we will indeed see her face again. With faith we look ahead to that place where the sun never sets, and where goodbyes are no more. Until then, we strive to do what Bonnie would so often encourage us to do; to “keep on keeping on.”