Impact

Today is a sad day. Yesterday was too, and the day before that, and tomorrow will be as well.

My wonderful cheerleader/pom coach from high school won her battle with breast cancer and received the ultimate prize: heaven's gates.

Coach and Mrs. Peacock

I say she WON because she did-- winning is all about how you play the game. Winning is continual perseverance, constant endurance, crossing the finish line, and ALWAYS keeping your head held high. She taught us that! She fought to the very end and wore Jesus's name proudly on her jersey.

She never gave up, but rather: I think she was here until she reached everyone she possibly could with her message. Her message of faith and Christ's love for all of us, of how He is always by our sides, no matter what trials we face. I think she stayed here until she and God decided she had completed her earthly tasks, and then He took her home.

This past Easter, she made a video to share with her church family about her battle with cancer and the victory she has found in Jesus even through the toughest moments of her diagnosis. It will make a profound impact on your life! Please watch!

http://vimeo.com/63036529 Part 1

http://vimeo.com/63036531 Part 2

There's one amazing crowd-roaring, brass band-playing, spirit fingers-waving, Cotton Eyed Joe-dancing pep rally going on up there right now, I guarantee it. She's having the time of her life.

Mrs. Peacock was so much more than just a coach or a teacher. To all of us, she was all different things. Everyone has their own stories... I'll tell you what she was to me.

She was a friend when we felt like we didn't have any.
She was a mediator when the immaturity of high school plagued us, and we had a cat fight in the locker room.
She was always fair in making decisions that involved us.
She was a counselor when we needed guidance.
She was a new perspective when we had trouble understanding our parents' point of view.
She was a comedian when we had a bad day and needed a laugh.
She was always ready with ideas when we were drawing a blank.
She was an advisor when we were weighing our options for post-graduation plans.
She was an encouragement when my post-graduation plans weren't the same as everyone else's.
She was an inspiration to all of us who had starry-eyed dreams of marrying our high school sweethearts.
She was ecstatic when I called to tell her I really was going to marry mine! :)
She was a positive thinker when the other team had too many points on the board.
She was a realist when we got too carried away.
She was a second mom to those who didn't have one.
She was an example of a Godly mother and wife.
She saw the potential in each of us even when we were blind to seeing it ourselves.
She loved to sing and dance.
She told the best stories.
She gave the best hugs.
She made high school fun.
She was beautiful.

When she retired, I hated to think of the years of future squads who would miss out on having her guidance. RHS was losing a legendary figure who could take a bunch of little girls and turn them into young ladies before graduation. But then I realized that she instilled in us the ability to do the same thing she did for us: reach out to young girls in their most impressionable years, and help them. Help them to be better, to be confident and to reach their full potential. It started with her, and she's given us everything we need to be able to make it now start with us, and our impact. I personally can start with my girls. All my mommy friends can start with their daughters, or younger sisters, or girls in the youth group at their church. We can all follow her example and start somewhere... We just have to start.

I choose to start with my kids, and myself.

I choose today to set a positive example for my kids instead of being the frazzled nut job who runs around like a chicken with her head cut off, starting five little projects around the house and never finishing them, angry at myself for never finishing them, and then bringing down everyone's morale with my poor attitude.

I also choose to take better care of myself and get healthy again. I have been doing Weight Watchers with my mom for several weeks now, but I've slacked off quite a bit. I'm going to get back on it, and also get outside and get to walking/jogging! By the time the Komen Race for the Cure comes around next year, I want to be able to run the 5k. I'm going to run it for Mrs. Peacock!

I found on FB this morning that there will be a celebration of her amazing life this Saturday 5/4/13 at 11am at Fellowship Bible Church in Rogers, AR. I hope everyone can make it so we can all celebrate her together. And I hope they play Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" just for her!

Love and miss you, Mrs. Peacock. Thank you for investing in my life!