I kind of 'cheated' last week when I chose to share the flyer, and invitation, for
Josephine Wolf 's 100'h birthday partly instead of writing an article for the newsletter, but
I don't regret it. Really, how often does someone that you personally know live to their
100th birthday? I can count them on one hand and have fingers left over.
   I first met Josephine in l-98l-, 45 years ago. She was 55 and I was 28. It was my
first full-time pastorate. Josephine never missed a Sunday, a practice she continued for
many, many years, and only interrupted because of her health. At that time, (1981) she
had been widowed for a number of years and was raising her six children, and a
grandson, and working full-time at Hillcrest Medical Hospital.
   Johnny Cash sang that life ain't easy for a boy named Sue, well it was no picnic
for a lady named Josie either. Yet, in spite of all the hindrances to happiness that seemed
to dog Josie, I have yet to see one that has ever got her down. Josephine Wolf is a lady
of faith. If you weighed her, 98% of her total weight would be faith, and the rest would
be love. Her faith in love and her love in faith continues to make her an over-comer in
every sense of the word. She feeds both with a prayer life that keeps God hopping, and I
am sure that it puts a smile on His Face every day, and usually several times a day. Trust
me, the devil runs and hides when Josie starts to pray.
   Allow me to illustrate. I was about 30 years old and still greener than grass (the
kind you mow). I was laying in the pre-op room at Hillcrest getting ready for open knee
surgery. The last time I had surgery was when I had my tonsils out at the age of 4 or 5.
AII I can remember about that one was getting ice cream, and no one was promising ice
cream at this point. Family was not allowed in, and my pastor was already there-me. I
admit I was lonely and scared until the lady who cleaned the operating rooms between
surgeries came to my bedside, Josephine Wolf.
   I think she pulled her mask down and probably said 'boo'. And then I know she
said, 'I came to pray with you and for you'. She didn't have to look up a prayer in a
prayer book, she had a thousand of them in her heart-and still does. She prayed my fear
away-and she still does. And remember, I am not the only one. Her prayer list is long,
very long.
   Josie, in my life I have had eight aunts, and only one is left (and she just turned 99). You
are more precious to me than they were. Over half of my life you have mothered me,
Loved me and supported me (and my family). I want to thank you and your family for
allowing ALL of us to be a part of it.
Happy l00th birthday to a dear friend, blessed sister, and beautiful Christian