Heavenly Sister

Heavenly Sister


Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one, who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. (John 11:25-26. HCSB) 


As another year rolls around, I pause to celebrate the day, my little sister, Tina Diane Helms was received into Heaven.


She had long blond hair and a petite body frame. She wore a band of freckles across the bridge of her nose that complimented her green eyes. Her grin captured many hearts. Her sense of humor keen while wisdom far surpassed her youthful age of twelve. I shall never get over the courage I witnessed her exhibit as she braved each intrusive needle, battled the harsh side effects from chemotherapy and from the day she was diagnosed, she looked cancer on with a dauntless approach. Her gutsy attitude didn't match her tiny frame, yet it never surprised me as she remained grounded with hope and never once shied away from any pain she faced during the trying months of treatments. Her bold character would radiate when she stood up for her friends, her family, and her convictions. Her heart, compassionate and tender had a way of protecting and loving anyone she met. She had no difficulty putting up a fight, even through her battle with Leukemia.

Her strength came from the Lord.  I can't imagine her expected fears, yet she seemed comforted with certainty as the blond strands of hair began to fall loosely away or when her body violently rejected medications often leaving exhausting efforts to rid of them. He was there when her energetic zest for life began to diminish as days became more about sleeping and resting rather than running and playing.  There were times when it was obvious she was wearing, yet she still held onto her sense of humor, remaining calm, lighthearted in spite of the physical fatigue.

Even though the years go by without her being in my daily life, I still feel her presence. She lives through me and I can also see her attributes in my two daughters, Shannon and Rachel. Her smile, compassion,  quick wit and mischievous style, has been passed on to Shannon as her tenderness and love for adventure, I see in Rachel. As my two daughters mature and I grow, I often imagine a little bit more of Tina's personality coming out in them.

On this day, my sister went to Heaven. And while it's been years since I have seen her physical being, green eyes and grin, her presence forever, stays with me. Her days spent on earth are nothing compared to her eternal life. Her earthly life has been just the beginning. Ascending to heaven began her birth of infinite existence. I miss her still and I always will while at the same time, God has blessed me abundantly on earth with family. Not only do I see Tina in each of my daughters, He has blessed me with endearing friends that I call extended family. A profound presence of God shines deeply through each heart, reminding me that we don’t need the same DNA to be sisters.  I am often reminded of a statement that one of my Sisters in Christ once shared with me.  She once told me that once we get to Heaven, we would all be reunited as one family, not as separate families as we have been on earth. She used the term, ‘Sparkling Fireflies.’ commonly known as lightning bugs, buzzing around our Lord shining brightly. Tina is there, her soul freely buzzing, reflecting vibrantly as her eternal heart light will shine forever. As many of us have lost someone near to us, we can be reassured their every eternal heart light beams brightly.

Let Me Tell You About My Friend

A Friend Loves At All Times – (Proverbs 17:17 HCSB)

February 12, 2011



“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.”

She is there, waiting in the wings for that, ‘just in case’ moment. She is only a phone call away. She shares your joy. She is offers spontaneous surprises. She provides wisdom. She has a great laugh. She enjoys life. She is there to offer assistance, with an open mind and giving heart. She is rare and loyal. She is a friend, through thick and thin. She is constant. It gives me great pleasure to recognize my friend. Every now and then, we get the opportunity to reflect and be thankful for our friends. I am certainly thankful for mine.

Let me tell you about my friend, Paula. Thirty years ago, Paula and I met. Actually, at the time, I don’t believe either one of us realized the significance it would bring to our lives. Paula is a rare treasure; the type that increase in value over time. As each year passes, the time spent together, moments shared and the bond we have developed has only improved. Over time, we have gained maturity and wisdom. We appreciate each other’s unique attributes. We believe that our journey as friends has been God directed and God led.

I consider Paula more than just my friend. She is my sister. We didn’t come from the same bloodlines and no common family background. We didn’t grow up together. In fact, we didn’t meet until we were in our late teens. Maybe that is what made our meeting so special. Neither one of us was expecting it, yet it came just at the right time

All those years ago when we first me, I needed a friend. I believe she needed one too. Maybe that is why we jelled right away. February 7 marks my younger sister’s birthday. It is a time of year, when I would reflect on Tina. Her life, the short time we got to be sisters. It also reminded me to celebrate her eternal LIFE in Heaven. Of course I missed her. I missed the moments we created and what it meant to have that one person on earth that had the same interests, the same sense of humor, the quiet tenderness only a sister could share. It wasn’t the same year of my sister’s death, that I met Paula. It was actually several years later, although, I’ve always found it astounding that God saw fit for us to meet in February. At a time when I would truly miss my own sister, God brought Paula into my life to become my sister.

Paula quickly stepped into that role to help create a new beginning, a new hope that I certainly needed. Paula wasn’t there to replace my sister or her memory. She added to it; the reassurance that I wouldn’t have to face the world alone. Paula became the one person that I learned to trust with my questions and uncertainties. She became that person that I began to entertain life with again. We did a lot of sister things. We giggled. We talked. We cried. We grew up together.

Paula became my confidant. At times, she has been my Christian mentor. She shared her endearing mother with me that carried a very strong FAITH. Being the young women we were, we often needed a Christian mother's influence. There were times when Paula became my rock, when I felt desperate or uncertain. She has remained steadfast, never faltering, always being a good friend.

Paula is the real deal. She is generous, loyal and trustworthy. She is funny, crafty and can be competitive. She is brilliant when it comes to her occupation as a Registered Nurse. It suits her very well. She is patient and compassionate. She is smart and very qualified. She is wise and at the same time, doesn’t second-guess the hard decisions.

Paula is my family. Not only has she become my sister, she is the Aunt to my two daughters. Shannon and Rachel identify no other family as they do their Aunt Paula. Even though, we live far apart, we seize every opportunity to insure our girls grow knowing each other as family. We often joke about how our children take after us. April, Paula’s daughter and I share similar qualities, as do Paula and Shannon, my oldest daughter. Shannon can be very much like Paula when it comes to having a die-hard shopper mentality. They are also equally crafty. When it comes to shopping, well for April and I, not so much. Rachel, my youngest daughter, has a special bond with her Aunt Paula. They connected very quickly in Rachel’s newborn life. When she was born three months pre mature, Paula was there, helping Rachel's fragile beginning strengthen.

There is no one else in this world that I can ever imagine being my best friend and sister. God certainly answered my prayer when He brought her into my life. We have been through many seasons together. Some joyous, some difficult, and yet thirty years feels we're just getting started. We have many more adventures ahead of us.

Paula, I adore you. I appreciate you with every ounce of my being. I thank you for sticking around and sharing this journey with me. Get your flip-flops ready because you and I have date, with a sandy beach, a cool breeze and many more memories to make.

Paula, you are my dearest friend. You are my sister. You’re my family. Here is to thirty years of great times, memorable times, and most defiantly cherished times. I am excited to see what the next thirty will bring. I hope you are too.