It was three years ago today that Shirley suffered her stroke. Last year on June 4, 2023, Shirley started calling June 4 her “Stroke-Aversary”—celebrating life and every day God gives us together.

Life Is Fragile 

Yesterday, Shirley and I spent the morning with dear ministry friends we have known for thirty years—since 1994. The husband is in home hospice.

We spent our time together crying, laughing, reminiscing, praying, and saying,

“Goodbye…until that GREAT DAY when we will meet again with Jesus.”

When I asked Shirley what she was feeling and thinking about our morning, she quickly responded,

“This is all a reminder that life is so fragile.” 

A Life Lesson 

Shirley and I have learned a lot of life lessons from the Lord over the past three years. Shirley’s comment about the fragility of life is certainly one of them. Shirley’s reflections cause us to reflect on James 4:13-15. 

¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 

Our life, our breath, our days—are in our good Father’s good hands.

We rest in our Restful One (Matthew 11:28-30), staying thankful each day for life from the Lord of Life.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Some Shirley Updates 

For those who may want to track with us over the past three years, here are links to our updates on Shirley.

1. Please Pray for Shirley: This link tracks our original public request for prayer and all updates to December 5, 2021.
2. Shirley Scriptures: This link shares Scripture passages that Shirley was especially focused on during the early days of her recovery.
3. What Do We Really Mean When We Ask God for “HELP”?: Learn about the acrostic “HELP” that Shirley and I used to focus our prayers during the early days of Shirley’s recovery.
4. Look Left; Look Up!: In times of trials, how do we keep looking up to Jesus?
5. How Are You Doing, Bob?: As people prayed for Shirley, they also kindly asked how I was doing. This post, shared about a month after Shirley’s stroke, answers that question.
6. A “God-Send” and a Shirley Update: In this post, Shirley and I publicly thank God for our daughter, Marie, who moved in with us for eighteen months to help care for Shirley (and me).
7. A Shirley Update at Two Years: Walking Hand-in-Hand…with Jesus: Here we introduce Shirley’s idea of a “Stroke-Aversary” and how we celebrated life at the two-year mark.
8. Kellemen Family Update: In this post, we share the news about our move to Florida, and our reasons for the move.
9. Moving Sale Rocking Horse Blessing: God has blessed us in our trials in soooo many ways. Even while hosting a garage sale before we moved, God showed us again His affectionate sovereignty.
10. A Shirley and Bob Update: “Goodbye Auburn, Washington: Here we reflect again on God’s goodness, both in bringing us to Washington, and in sending us to Florida.

Thank You! 

So, so many of you have prayed for us, with us, supported us, encouraged us, counseled us, helped us in ways we will never forget and could never repay.

“Thank you!”

So What Are You Doing for Shirley’s Three-Year “Stroke-Aversary”? 

One week before Shirley’s stroke, we were celebrating our 40^th anniversary in Sarasota and Siesta Key. So Shirley wanted to go back to Sarasota and Siesta Key. We’ll have lunch with extended family. Then we’ll visit our favorite beach in the world—Siesta Key Beach.