It's The Great Big Jill Day!!!

Today is The Great Big Jill Day!!! 

I have LOVED hearing from you all about your plans for this special day!  It's been really great seeing the Facebook updates and reading about what everyone has been doing to celebrate our dear friend!

I would like to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for helping make this day a success.  I know you have impacted people in a positive way today and I know that Jill's family appreciates each of you taking the time to honor her life through your actions.

Cliff was kind enough to send me several photos to use this past week for my TGBJD posts--this one is my favorite:

Funny trumps cruel.  

Well, and this precious gem, too. 

I am still LOVING those acid washed jeans and those pig tails.  

Oh those precious, precious pig tails. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for making this a truly special day!

I woke up and took advantage of my extended Irene time at home to sit at Jill's table and spend time in the Word, journaling, and just giving thanks for my friendship with such a special lady.  I thought a lot about how much my life had changed because of her friendship. Of course, I spent a few moments remembering our last "conversation"--it was really one-sided, but she did acknowledge my presence.

I let my tears leak past my eyelids for that moment.  

And then I applied eye makeup.  

And then I approached the day like I had planned--giving people the attention they deserved.

I had planned to spend the day with my mom (family was a big deal to Jill).  On the drive to Kinston, there were several times I wanted to tune my children out (one in particular tends to get long-winded when describing dreams, situations, and any other thing that is of interest and sometimes it is a jumble of words) but I made myself pay attention, ask questions, and actually listen to what she had to say.  

Only my lerve, Christacular, and perhaps Rashur and our family can understand that it was indeed an act of service to listen to Molly's Dream Sequence in its entirety.  

I did my best to be pleasant to those I was around today. I made sure to maintain eye-contact with them and did my best to really listen to what they had to say.

I tried to laugh more, smile more, encourage more, and love on my girls.

I had Zaxby's for dinner in honor of our Tuesday Night Gang--aka Maria, Rachel, Jill, and myself.  We used to meet on Tuesday nights for dinner a few summers ago while Jill was pretty mobile.  She wanted to get out of the house, she could eat Zaxby's fairly well, and it was just good for our souls to get together to talk, laugh, and spend time with each other.

And finally, this evening while we ate, I used The Great Big Jill Day to talk about Heaven and Jesus with my girls.  The girls and I talked about Jill and her story.  We talked about how she was all better now because she was with Jesus.  We talked about how Jill went to sleep and when she opened her eyes, she was with Jesus.

My most beautiful moment of the day was sitting at Jill's table and listening to Molly describe Heaven to Lily.  Seeing the assurance on my child's face as she spoke to her sister that we would join Jill, and their grandparents, and all the others who arrived in Heaven before us--that was worth more than anything to me.

And because of Jill (and the few other people that Molly knew who have since passed away), my daughter has a tangible image of what Heaven is going to be like.  She looks forward to the day she will walk with Jesus and Mrs. Jill, and spend time with her Poppy Ed, and get to be with all of the other people who will be waiting to see her.

I know that Jill would want you all to know the love of Christ.  I know she would want you to know the forgiveness and freedom that He offers.  I know she would want you all to experience the relationship she had with Him.  If you have never talked to anyone about your faith, I would love to talk about it with you.

I know that Jill considered family, friends, and her relationship with Christ as her most treasured possessions. I know she would be so pleased to know that her life will continue to make a difference in others' lives.

Thank you so much for taking the time to celebrate the life of Jill Hollis.  

See you soon, friend. 

Photos courtesy of Cliff Hollis