All-
We are grateful to Jesus and to you, for our family and Gail have been the recipients of such amazing offerings of prayer, presence and resources. Thank you for welcoming our family into your midst.
We're thankful for such a demonstration of support and presence at Gail's celebration service. Thank you all for 'showing up'. It meant the world to our family. We wish that we could have greeted each one of you personally. It brightened our hearts to see the interaction of the community united and working together. It was a joy to behold!
It blesses us to hear from friends from years past. Hearing from you has brought us both comfort and cheer in these hard times.
From 'The Message'
'My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heavens and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit-not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength-that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christ followers the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb its depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God!
God can do anything you know-far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.'
Ephesians 3:14-20
Road Warriors @ LaDiDa HMB!
Together Times with Friends
Gail, cheering us on
Gail, your spirit continues to lift us!!!
Buddies
Aaron and Gail-Team-Teachers
New Life
Devon after being baptized
The Cuzins
Christmas 2008
Greg, Kimberly and Devon
Moving Together
Together Time
Gail and Devon @ Gold Beach, Ore. 06'
Gail & Kimberly
Gail was my friend, mom, sister, counselor - I will miss her more than I could ever put into words. I love you always, Gail!!! Kimberly
Gail
We love Gail!!!
3 comments:
Jon,
You are amazing. I thank God for how he has strengthened you and given you the words to encourage all of us when all we want to do is be there for you and Devon. We are all the recipients of such blessings from you, Devon, and Gail. Not a day goes by that I don't stop and pray and uplift you and Devon to our Lord for comfort. I talk to Gail now in heaven and I see her smiling, laughing, and enjoying the presence of God and her friends and family in heaven. I can't wait to see her again.
I'll be talking with ya soon and will see you next week. We are with you bro.
I love you so much,
Sandy
Jon,
It's been a long time that I've contacted you (far too long). Stewart Kimura called me today regarding Gail.
My prayers are with you and your family. You and Gail made this "Gaijin" welcome at Anaheim. I will always remember her smile and infectious laugh.
I wish I could attend the service this Sunday. But I will be out of town.
We will see her in Heaven....
Hebrews 9:28
Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
God-Bless,
Rod Pundamiera
Jon, Devon, Yoshimines & Toguchis,
God has blessed us so mightily through all of you. Thank you for daring to be so honest and incredibly open during this painful and vulnerable time. Each of us will go through deaths of ones so dear and loved, and having a window in how you traveled this tough faith journey with the Lord gives us hope & insight for when we must travel this hard road too. Thank you also for giving us Gail, for your love helped shape her into the remarkable woman of God loved dearly by so many.
Your candor reminds me of how Gail inspired me at a young age. Right now an age gap of a decade or so is nothing, but back then, there was a huge difference between a jr. higher and a young twentysomething woman. But Gail had such an endearing transparency about her. There was a genuineness about Gail that fostered instant trust. I felt I could tell her anything.
That was the quality I most appreciated about Gail. Instead of one big memory, I remember snippets of time, usually during JrFMY or FMY when we talked, where Gail was an example of someone who truly LISTENED. Sometimes she'd pull me into Pastor Carl (Yoshimine's) office or into a corner of the old social hall (one time with Jon playing his favorite "Come Brother Come" on his guitar in the backdrop, I recall) where we would not be interrupted and she could give me her full attention (because people would invariably come up and hug her)! Gail had such empathetic eyes. I loved the way they crinkled with amusement or soften with sympathy, or at times just mirrored your pain and you knew she was crying in her heart with you. She'd nod often, and her face was always so expressive. She'd talk quietly and honestly from her heart. Her prayers were simple and heartfelt. With Gail, I always felt I was HEARD, that whether she had an answer for me or shared my pain, that what I had to say was important to her. I felt safe telling her of my struggles, often some I had never intended to reveal, but in the presence of her caring heart, it would all come tumbling out. Gail allowed me to see her as someone who also hurts, who struggles with weakness and trials and self-disappointments. She made me know that she was there for ME, not to mentor or preach, but simply to help shoulder my burdens. To a teen, that was huge. It meant the world.
I also remember one precious time at Hume Lake in the late 70s when a small group from our cabin sat down one afternoon by the giant hammock with Gail and Nancy Terada. It was such a special privilege to hear these two talk about women in church leadership, the challenges, the adversity, the rewards ... and I remember they were just so honest & approachable, even about the hard stuff & lessons learned. I'd never heard women (or anyone) talk about that subject and in such a down-to-earth manner, and tried to soak up all I could, for there were SO many encouraging words for all of us. I treasured that moment in time, for with Gail the kind of awe I felt for her and the age gap evaporated that day into a deep, warm respect & appreciation - and a glimpse into a humble heart that would go on to do great things for the Lord. I rejoiced when Gail became a pastor, for I thankfully remembered that day at Hume and knew she was a special one whom God used to uniquely touch hearts and would use to reach many for Him.
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