This call I made.

After Lorna passed away, it was obvious to our family that people were praying for us. We could feel it. I decided to be more dutiful in praying for others.

In July, 2018, while pausing in my evening prayer to think of anyone that I should pray for, Deborah Romney came to mind. Her husband Bob had passed away a year earlier in July of 2017.

When we moved to Alpine in 1988, Lorna and I met Bob and Deborah Romney. We were in the same ward. We became friends. Lorna and Deborah became good friends. Deborah taught our girls dance, and our girls would baby-sit the Romney’s little boy, Michael.

After having her name come into my mind and mentioning her in my prayers for about three weeks, I decided I should call to find out how she was doing.

On August 7, I called, and she told me that for various reasons, she was struggling. It had been just a little over a year since Bob had passed away.

We visited on the phone for forty-five minutes. During the call I told her about the book The Message, and suggested she get it and read it. I also told her about a blog that I was prompted to write in January of 2016, which shared some of our family’s experiences since Lorna passed away.

When I hung up the phone, she was as she was before I called–a friend of many years, Deborah Romney, Bob’s wife.

The next morning I received this text from her.

Dear Craig,
Please let this be a letter, not a text. I have to tell you, I have never been so touched as I have read your sentiments in your blog. Every word is absolutely beautiful. Also, Katie’s experience. I have always loved her and all of your children. I don’t know why I am feeling tears right now. I feel so blessed to have shared the tender moments you expressed. What is unbelievable is my experience in the hospital on Bob’s last day was almost identical to yours. Sometime I would like to share that with you. I had to struggle with these words: “Bind me not to the pasture, chain me not to the plow.” We chose not to bind him to the pasture or chain him to the plow. We chose to set him free to find his calling, so he could return to us somehow.

I am so glad you were moved to call me and “share” your feelings. I have not stopped thinking about it. I am going out of town for a few days and plan to read The Message during that time. I’d like to share those impressions too. Love Deb

I texted back that I would love to hear about Bob’s last day and her impressions from the book. I asked her to text me when she returned home.

About a week later, she sent me a text letting me know she was back in town. We arranged to meet for lunch at the Blue Lemon Cafe in Highland, Utah.