A Light for My Path

Back in September of last year, I wrote a post called Coffee. I talked about how when my daughter Rachel was in college, she started attending a campus outreach that was part of a fledgling local church. She quickly became a regular attendee at the church and its “home groups.” Rachel volunteered to be part of the Sunday morning welcome time, specifically running the kitchen, making and serving coffee. The coffee was especially important to her. She was of the opinion that people would remember whether the coffee was bad or good. So, she made sure that they always got a “d@mn good cup of coffee.”

She continued as the Sunday barista through several moves of the church location, from its start in a school gym, to a shared office space, to a dedicated space in a larger former office building that the church had all to itself. During this time, she also met the man who would become her husband through mutual church friends. They married a year later and were both very active in supporting church programs. They also helped with the renovation of the kitchen in the church building.

Rachel died in a car accident just two months after their wedding.

About six months later the kitchen upgrade was complete and they held a special dedication ceremony for Rachel’s Kitchen. It was sweet and touching; truly a blessing that she was so loved by the church that she so loved.

Fast forward to last week.

The church has grown significantly in the eight years since that kitchen dedication. A few months ago, they had the opportunity to purchase a “real” church building. The sanctuary can seat 300 or so people. It has rooms for Sunday School, a nursery, staff offices, a separate recreation building. And a beautiful kitchen just right for gathering before a service, holding a small group meeting or meal, and making people feel welcome.

On Palm Sunday I attended the dedication of the new church kitchen. The Rachel’s Kitchen sign is hung in a prominent place. The pastors, Rachel’s husband, and several other church members and family members spoke. I did, too. With tears streaming down my face. But worship and remembrance and thankfulness are supposed to touch our emotions.

It was sweet seeing her old friends from college – most have children. I had a long conversation with her close college friend and his wife who were mentors to Rachel. He is one of the two primary pastors of the church.

Rachel frequently babysat the head pastor’s children (3 girls and 1 boy) when she was in college and apparently figured out ways to skirt the rules about snacks and bedtime for them. They all (children and parents) mentioned that. Two of the four children are married now, and one couple is about to become parents. The son is also the head of the church college campus program and studying to be a pastor himself. Seeing all these families, I can’t help but think about what Rachel and her husband’s life would have been like now.

Rachel would be so proud of the new building and the growth in the church membership.

I know she would have continued to be a part of this church family. Her husband still attends and is very active. He worked lots of volunteer hours beside others making repairs and improvements to the new church building. Rachel would likely still be working with the high school youth group. And making a “d@mn good cup of coffee” for everyone who stepped through the door to the kitchen.

Because that’s the kind of dedication she had.

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Laura