Uncle Joe and Me

This is a photo of my Uncle Joe and his little “Reyna”.  He is married to my dad’s oldest sister, my Aunt Lupe. Their story is one of great love - His love. 

Recently I received a phone call letting me know he had been diagnosed with leukemia, and is losing his battle in spite of the evasive chemo treatments he has been receiving.  

They met while they were at Bible College and quickly fell in love and married soon after they graduated from Bible College.  They were young and full of passion for the ministry and soon had a church.  For years, Uncle Joe did what he loved to do the most; that was to preach and to share the message of hope, forgiveness and good ol’ fashioned salvation.  He was a soft spoken man, very gentle and kind, but when he got to preaching...there was no stopping him.

When my grandmother and I moved to Southern California, we lived with Uncle Joe and Aunt Lupe for a few years.  By then, they already had two sons, and quickly took me in as their own daughter.  My Aunt Lupe was the heart and soul of their home, always nurturing, a great cook, and an awesome interior decorator.  I remember the first California Christmas we shared with them, and I could not believe my eyes!  There it was…a silver tinsel tree that was lit up by a huge revolving multi-colored light!  Pretty revolutionary back then!  I had never seen anything like it.  I knew someday I would have to have one like it. They bought me new clothes. Uncle Joe also worked for a shoe store, so soon I was sporting some new saddle oxfords! 

Myself, and my two cousins, Jack and Jerry had a blast riding our bikes!  I, of course was a tomboy, so I fit right in with the boys. But my Uncle Joe, who quite frequently referred to me as his little “Reyna”, which is princess in Spanish, made me feel like I was a member of their family.  I remember sneaking out of our rooms to watch The Beatles land in the USA.  We thought we were pretty clever back then when we crawled like GI Joe to get a peak from behind the sofa where my Aunt Lupe and Uncle Joe were cuddled up watching television.  They were so on to us, but they were cool.  We were watching history.  Those were the days without a care. 

Those days left an eternal thumbprint on my life about how a family built on God’s foundation flourishes.  Their home was full of faith, hope and love.  But truly, the greatest of these is love…HIS love, for that is what endured in the end.

Tonight at sunset, I received a call that my beloved Uncle Joe went to be with his Creator in heaven.  He is remembered by all who knew and loved him…especially me.   I am sure he left a thumbprint on many lives!