Judy (Nee Andersen) Barski
Although I can't be present to celebrate her lengthy time here on earth, I have some heartfelt thoughts I'd like to share about Martha Olsen.
When I hear her name, thoughts of gratefulness immediately begin to surface for the many cherished moments shared with her family and mine during my teen years. My parents, Bob and Maxine Andersen, now also deceased, were close friends of Martha and Rod for many years through their church affiliation and Lutheran High School.
I remember Rod and Martha's gracious invitations to visit their beautiful farm near Pickeral Lake in Tomahawk--a veritable paradise, where my sister, Sue, & I would fish for cropies---with Pinkies for bait, of course---and hunt for turtles for hours on end, or just lie on our rafts basking in the sun by the shore. The beauty and wonder of that magical place will forever be etched in my memory.
When we headed back to the log cabin, sounds of laughter from Martha and Mom rang through the rafters, and we knew the best was yet to come--a delectable meal with fresh cropies frying on the old stove. Martha's & Mom's cooking expertise couldn't be beat, and that's a fact to which many who visited that cabin would attest!
And how can I forget nestling under Martha's cozy quilts in what seemed to me the most comfortable bed on earth. It was definitely akin to the log cabin on "Little House on the Prairie," where love, joy and peace reigned supreme.
What I appreciated MOST about Martha was her giving, loving spirit that emanated from a heart filled with love and devotion for her Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, who profoundly impacted her own life, as well as the lives of those she ministered to--always with a bright smile and a glimmer in her eyes.
I'm convinced that when Martha meets her Savior, He will say to this God-fearing woman, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
Martha, I can't wait for the day when I see you in Glory and gaze upon your smiling face once more to THANK YOU for allowing me the opportunity to share a part of my life with you that I'll treasure in my heart forever. No doubt you and Mom, perhaps at this very moment, are weaving a beautiful tapestry in remembrance of your loved ones, who will join you one day soon in a paradise far greater than they'd ever imagined.
I offer my heartfelt condolences to your beloved sons, Rodney and Ronald, and all your family and friends. May God grant them solace in their grief and joy in the knowledge that they will see you again, as they, too, enter the gates of Heaven, where tears and sorrow will be wiped away forever.