A tribute to a “Rose” (July 11)

It is a cool gray morning here in Sault Ste. Marie this morning. It has been dry and hot so the break in the weather is welcome.

The gray skies and cooler air seem to reflect my mood this morning. I am introspective by nature and often need to “act my way into a better way of feeling” to avoid getting into a blue funk. Even at that I have spent way too much time in the past couple of days doing mindless things –playing freecell for example- and letting my mind get hung up on “what if’s” – shoud’a, could’a, would’a thinking.

Yesterday afternoo I was in the midst of one of these “internal debates” with myself – avoiding getting on with a household chore that needed to be done -- when our friends Dave & Maxine Bringleson called to tell me that Bob Ekman had called them to say that Roseann had passed away. This was a shock to say the least because we had no inkling that she had any serious health problems. She was always positive and upbeat and joyful in her communications. It came as such a shock to Dave & Max that they didn’t ask about the circumstances of her death so we don’t know what happened.

After their call I found the following –email in my “inbox”

Subject: Passing of Roseann Ekman
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:05:20
This is to inform those of you that knew Roseann Ekman, that she passed away this morning peacefully in her sleep. If you wish to contact her husband, Bob, you may e-mail him at roseann_1@charter.net or mail at 15221 Russell Rd. N. Brainerd,Mn 56401

I hadn't corresponded with her for a couple of months but we receive bulletins from the church at Baxter (Brainerd) and had just gotten a bundle a couple of days ago -- through June 21 - and there was no mention of her having problems. (In one of those eerie coincidences, I had just finished looking at the bulletins and was thinking of Bob & Roseann at the exacttime that Dave & Max called. We had been through Minnesota on our way home and we had considered taking a side trip to visit them. However, we had decided that the extra day would make us too late getting home. Anyhow, I was in the process of looking at mapquest to confirm that that they actually lived were I thought they didwhen I got the call. This just goes to prove that we should take our opportunities to visit friends when we can because we never know what tomorrow will bring.

I posted an abbreviated fomof thhe followingtributeon the Berean Spiritlist

A tribute to a Rose

One of God's saints has gone to her rest. I first met Roseann almost 30 years ago when her husband Bob became the preaching minister at Pinehill just after graduating from Sunset.I never met anyone with the same passion that Roseanne had to learn about God's word and teach it to others. She truly lived by faith and was an example of the "salt, leaven & light" that Jesus called us to be.

Unfortunately, Bob’s time here at Pinehill was filled with difficulties. This is not the time or the place to get into the reasons for this – God knows our hearts. However, when they left here in 1981 it was under difficult circumstances.

We kept in touch for a few years but eventually we lost touch as they moved around spending time in Mexico and Oklahoma. We were blessed last September to have them come back to visit with us. We discovered that they had moved back north to Minnesota near their birthplaces (as I recall).

I mentioned them in several of my previous posts.

Click on the links to see these entries (scroll down because the references are in the midst of other things that were happening) I posted pictures of their visit last September, I talked about the connection between Roseann and John Dobbs with a picture of them together. I mentioned how Roseanne was instrumental in getting me started on the Berean Spirit list. I have kept in touch with her through Berean Spirit and through private emails ever since.

Roseann loved her husband and was loyal to him through many challenges in their life. She loved her family and her grandchildren and spoke often of them in her emails and conversations. She loved people and loved teaching about Jesus. She spent many hours with Bible correspondence courses and with group studies. I know she was working over the past year with those struggling with addictions.

She was my sister and my friend. I will miss her but I rejoice that she has gone to be with the Savior that she loved more than life itself.

As I sit here this gray morning my life is brightened and enriched from having known Roseann. Christians like her who reflect the light of Jesus into our lives t help me keep the gray from taking over and so my day today will be bright regardless of the weather.

I am reminded of the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians Chapters 3 & 4

12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.


Goodbye Roseann “until we meet again”

God Bless
Charlie