Update from Leonard

I am posting this e-mail from Leonard for all the lovely friends of Kathleen. 

Dear family and friends,

In my last Legacy update regarding Kathleen, one of our dear friends wrote:

Hi Leonard!
It was good to hear from you and thank you for the update -Kathleen's Legacy. I enjoyed reading all of it, especially the news about your family, and of you. We have thought of you often and have neglected to write, but you and your family have been in our hearts and prayers often.  One thing, I have to be honest with you--I don't think I understand the full story of "Kathleen's Porch"--even at the funeral when it was mentioned several times I did not fully understand the full significance.  I knew that I loved the porch with the lights and the swing, etc., but I have decided that more went on there than I realized.  Sometime you can bring me up to date on this.

So I thought maybe others might like a more detailed “view” of her porch.

Several years ago, mostly after her first bout with breast cancer in `06, Kathleen began to show more interest in the things outside the house in the yard.  Since two female dogs and one hen-pecked red boned hound “owned” the back yard, Kath began to dress up the front of our home.  Our neighbor with two green thumbs coached her on growing some flowers.  This she did and became quite good at it, so different from her earlier years.  Her creative juices  began to flow and wreaths went up and a blind fence hiding our air conditioner, some lighting (we stayed up till midnight on that project), initially real ivy, later fake but realistic ivy on the porch, flowers around the fence and hanging baskets, paint and cleaning.  Then she and the girls did seasonally decorated table cloths and cushions and her whimsical yellow tea pot and tea cups in the grapevine-ivy ceiling border over the front and one side above the swing.  The colors and fancies made it quite homey with the sun shades cuddling it on two sides.

The beauty of the front nook was not the magic of this place but it was in the hospitality it afforded.  Kath was often seen having her quiet time in the swing.  She talked with friends on the phone while swinging and enjoyed extended reading bouts there.  Our oldest daughter found a set of swing springs that made her swing the envy of all who sat in its unusual comfort.  Many left vowing to get a set for their swing.

The porch hosted overflow for family feasts and several seats were fought over, especially the swing.  She painted the porch floor once each year and cleaned it more than that.  She defended it firmly against neighborhood cats and birds wanting to make it a home as well.

But the fondest memories are the times she would use it to talk.  Kathleen talked with the kids there, loving and guiding each one.  She later began to increase her circle with adopted kids on the porch too.  She loved it when the kids made it their favorite place as well.  Kath would find it a wonderfully soothing counseling room also.  Many younger women “sat at her feet” on that swing with her.  Some were older who shared their hearts and cherished her counsel.  The Lord was the invited regular on that porch and you could sense Him there.

Our family would often ask for our devotions to be held on the porch, sometimes in marginal weather with blankets and extra clothes needed.  On warm summer nights we would bring out hymnals and serenade the neighbors.  The “adopted kids” often gathered and jammed out with guitars (acoustical and reasonable) and with singing.  The last big gathering of that “adopted family” they forced a command performance of Kath reading several pages of Lena by Margaret Jensen.  Kath loved this book because it shouted the burden of her heart for those young adults hanging on her every word.

The porch was the site for mending broken hearts, tear felt and filled disciplines, visions shared, pains processed, loving words shared and private love talk with the newly engaged and at times with one old husband (me).  She successfully fought mosquitoes and demons on that porch and calmed my heart and straightened my walk so often.  It is aptly named her porch because it oozed her character and colors, and her prayers.

I cried when three couples, whom we love, went together and gave us the plaque that we hung beside our front door.  It summarizes it well:

WELCOME    KATHLEEN’S PORCH LIVE/ LOVE/ LAUGH

We miss her much right now and hurt for her presence.  Her Lord and ours has blessed us with her best and has left us with her love and life-blood and legacy.  It is enough with Him and we can go on more faithfully with her push.  She revealed Christ in her life and touch.  She proved His presence and Truth and confirmed His Spirit’s promptings.   We are very thankful this Christmas for we have tasted His best.  Pray that we share Him faithfully as we have seen it shared up close and personally.

Thanks for helping me reminisce, it’s been good.

Lester Love from Barbourville—Merry, merry Christmas!
December 24, 2011