Sisterhood

Happy New Year!

Whew! I don't know about the rest of you, but I am unusually thankful to see 2009 arrive!

It has been such a hard year for many of us. I'm sure we all want to move on to a more positive time in our lives. 2008 brought many blessings into my life but they were all somewhat bittersweet with the absence of my friend and sister, Char' Fontane. Like so many other precious women, Char' succumbed to breast cancer in 2007.

I made it through my second Christmas without Char'. It wasn't as bad as the first year after her passing-but I can only hope that the years will get easier as time passes. Sadly, there were no new Christmas antlers added to my extensive collection, there was no excited "girl" chatter about the perfect gift for someone on our Christmas lists, there were no mystery boxes on my doorstep, each filled with gifts carefully chosen for me and there was no candled-filled evenings in celebration of family and friendship!

I loved to shop for my friend knowing she cherished and displayed each gift with love! Her delight during the Christmas season was a true celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ! She marveled with childlike wonder at the gifts that had been bestowed upon her life because Her Savior had died for her.

I am fortunate to have so many beautiful memories of our holidays together! We shot lots of footage of our time together-there were photos-all the usual things. Char made beautiful memory books of our friendship and time spent together. She never missed an opportunity to tell me how much I meant to her and how deeply she loved me. She was able to communicate her sisterly love through a beautifully written card, a silly phone message, a laughter-filled dinner out with our husbands or a book that might bring inspiration and comfort through the words on the pages.

Char brought a unique perspective to my life experience.

She was a talented actress-starring in her own television series, Joe and Valerie in the late 70's. She guest-starred on Barnaby Jones numerous times and was cast as a hooker in the popular mini-series Pearl. Char' was born in Hollywood to parents, Tony Fontane and Kerry Vaughn, in 1952. Tony Fontane, a wildly popular singer was at the height of his career when he suffered a nearly fatal car accident. After a long-recovery Tony devoted his life and career to Jesus. He enjoyed the sweetest success as a popular Gospel singer and remained devoted until his death

Tony Fontane's life and great career provided endless inspiration to his daughter. Char' followed in her father's footsteps; starring in a Broadway production of Grease in the mid 70's. She worked with other popular singers and actors of the period and told wonderfully rich stories of the good times she enjoyed while living in NYC.

So, this year, 2009, I am in celebration of my great friend and sister, Char' Fontane! I love and miss you! Char' Fontane 1952-2007