Lessons From Leon and Mandy

My wife’s dad died suddenly when she was a junior in high school. He was only 49 years old. That seems really young to me these days. His wife, who is now my mother in law, became a widow at age 43. That also seems really young to me.

As you can imagine those were some tough days for a 43 year old mother left with four children ranging in age from 7 to 22. It was tough on the mother and it was tough on those four children. As most people do, this family somehow survived the heartache and pain and hopelessness that death has a way of delivering to loved ones left behind.

I think there are several reasons this family made it through this heart wrenching experience. The most important was their faith. The fact that this family depended on their faith when things were going well sure did help when the rug was pulled out from under them. They were able to believe what they could not see. They also had many friends who rallied around them. Again, the fact that this family was friendly to people when things were going well sure did help when the rug was pulled out from under them. True friends have a way of showing up in the middle of the greatest storms of life.

They also had a large supportive family. I am not sure how this story would have turned out (or stories like this would turn out) if not for family. In my line of work I have seen it so many times. Close families depend on each other in a way they never dreamed when invaded by death. Families that are not close will tend to be torn apart permanently during the trials of life. This was a close family.


Leon Windham was one of this young widow’s brothers. He and his wife Mandy (pictured here) made a decision to be there for them. It was more that a decision actually. It was a commitment.

For several Christmases after Ralph Underwood’s death, Leon and Mandy brought their two young children to the Underwood’s house for Christmas. They knew the Christmas season would be a very difficult time for this family so they decided to do something about it. And the doing something about it had to take some major sacrificing on their part. But they showed up year after year with two small children and their Santa Claus to celebrate with this family who had their collective heart ripped out.

And they brought with them gifts for all and so many laughs and so much fun. And when my wife’s family looks back, they realize those days were some of the richest days of their lives.

The Windham’s took a very tough situation and with purpose turned it into something really good.

Why am I writing about this tonight? My wife and I were talking a few days ago about the impact Leon and Mandy had on their lives when they desperately needed impacting. Funny thing the next day their daughter, Jill, emailed me with a picture of them attached.

And there is a lesson for all of us in this story.

God puts people in our lives for a reason. Make no mistake about that. And there are times when a phone call or a visit or a card is exactly what is needed. But sometimes the need is much more. And to meet that need takes some serious investment in the lives of the people God has put in our lives.

Leon and Mandy did some serious investing. And they made a huge difference in the life of this family. I saw it first hand and experienced it. And tonight 35 years later, I have a great appreciation for their investment and am very thankful for their sacrifice. And although they may not realize it, what they did still impacts this family today.

And what we do today for others not only impacts them today but can also still be impacting 35 years from now.

I kinda think only in giving of ourselves do we ever find the true meaning of life. Somewhere along the way Leon and Mandy figured that out.