A-Dorla-ble!

I was paying bills on Saturday, the usual post-Christmas batch: mortgage, Macy's, Kohl's, Union 76...
but the most important debt I paid was a spaghetti dinner that my son, Andrew, and I made to take over to Bob Cross and his extended family.

The Apostle Paul admonishes us, in Romans 13:8 to "let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." (New International Version)

It was our privilege to take dinner to the Cross family on the day of Dorla Cross's passing from this life into eternal life. Family was gathering at Bob and Dorla's house late in the day to prepare for her funeral and burial. Steve and I pulled our wagon full of spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and lemon cake over to their house (we live close-by) and were greeted by family members who thought we were members of another religion, coming to their house to convert them with our wagon full of literature!

After we all had a good laugh at our mistaken identity, we sat with the grieving family, remembering the wonderful life that Dorla lived.

Bob and Dorla opened their home to so many college students in their days of hosting church events that, daughter Cindy estimated, there were more than 100 house keys floating around in student's pockets, purses and backpacks.

"If anyone had broken into my parents' house and the police had asked who had access to the house, the list would have included more than 100 people!" she laughed.

That's how Bob and Dorla lived life. They lived to serve others, to be generous and to give many, many others an example to follow.

Although we did not have the privilege of knowing Bob and Dorla in their "Big Hospitality" days, we have received countless hugs, back pats and words of encouragement from them in the 10 years we have been part of the College Church of Christ family.  We owe them a debt of love that we can only attempt to repay by continuing to build on the foundation they helped to lay, a foundation for a church that is hospitable, loving, accepting, forgiving, generous and encouraging. May we keep working, in the spirit of Dorla Cross, to pay the debt of love we owe!

--Posted by Mama O.