31 of KCU'S 100 years 63/366

2019 marked the 100 year anniversary of KCU

Bill was excitedly looking forward to that milemarker.

It encouraged him to keep working hard through tough times.

If you visited KCU Lusby Center in 2019, 

or recently,

you probably saw these banners over the doors.

The center one commemorating the 100 year anniversary 

and two others filled with photos over the entrances to the left and right of center.

They hadn't been up long before someone who worked on the project caught me and asked 
"Did you see him?"
I was confused, I had no idea of what they were talking about.
I didn't want to admit ignorance, so I acted like I knew what was going on
when in reality, I hadn't even noticed the collages.
"Who?"
"Bill. He's part of one of the collages."

Stunned. 
I smiled and nodded. 
Walked on toward the entrance.
And didn't look up. 
I was not prepared.

Within a few days more people asked me the same question.
I couldn't ignore it forever,
so my next trip into the building I looked up, 
quickly, as I walked in the entrance right of center.
I noticed the basketball photo first. 
Deborah played.
It was a safe place to start looking.
It wasn't from her time.
I scanned the other pictures.
I breathed a sigh of relief. 
I didn't see Bill.

I allowed a couple more days to pass.
I braved the entrance left of center.
And my breath caught in my throat.
My heart hesitated, then beat more quickly.
There he was.
Top row, left corner.
Wearing his light blue KCU polo.
It is one of my favorite pictures of him, his smile is genuine and relaxed.
It had been taken on a friends farm on a day we did family pictures.
Tears came to my eyes, but behaved and stayed put.
Until later, when I was home and it was safe to cry.

It took awhile to enter through those doors again.
But now I often choose to enter from that side.
I look up and smile.
I think that change happened when I did the math.
2019 was the 100 year celebration of KCU being founded.
1988 was the year we moved here.
I have been a part of KCU for 31 of those 100 years. 
That's almost a third of its life. 
More than half of mine.

So many faces up there, on both sides, that I recognize.
So many faithful servants who've already gone home.
So many memories.

I won't be here to see it, but I am praying and working toward there being a 150 year celebration, one my kids can attend on our behalf. I always said Bill would never leave KCU. It was too much in his blood, too much in his heart for him to ever be happy working anywhere else. The Lord took him home so there was never a chance for him to consider retirement or changing his place of employment. It shocks me sometimes how much KCU is in my heart. I never expected it be this way, but it looks like I am the one who will never choose to leave.