News reached me today of another of my Dibley folk who has died.  Although she had reached a good age, it is still a sad day when someone passes through the door of eternity.

This woman had not had an easy life.  She had worked hard to support her husband and to bring up a family.  She was a very proud grandmother, often showing me photos of this or that one's latest achievements.  She could be stern, but underneath she was a caring person who lacked confidence.

During the first year I was there, we decided to make some new banners for the church.  In an attempt at something or other, we decided to meet at the same time as the knitting group, at the other end of the same large room, hoping that the knitters might join in the banner-making.  A few of them did, including this woman, who confided in me that she wasn't very good at knitting and was usually relegated to sewing up.

The banners were based on the John 15 vine image, and each person chose a leaf to decorate as she saw fit.  Some were embroidered; some had sequins.  Some were elaborate; some were simple.  I cannot recall what the leaf or leaves this woman sewed looked like, but we incorporated them, with the others, into the banners that, to this day, are hung for worship.

I like to think that maybe she gained just a little bit of self esteem when she saw her leaves.  I like to hope that she knew I cared.

Hers was not an easy life, had she been born a generation later it might have been very different.  Loyal to the end, and loved by her family, now she enjoys the promises in which she put her hope.

KC RIP