VICKY….. MY FRIEND, MY TRIBUTE…

AUGUST 12, 2015 | DEBBULLOCK51

Thinking of my friend 7 years on…..(I wrote this in August 2015)

On Saturday 25th July 2015, wherever you were in the world and if you loved and cherished Vicky Taylor as a friend or family member, our worlds were shattered. I was in Tanzania watching a movie with John. My messenger app pinged and nothing could have prepared me for the message I read.

“John, Deb. In case you have not heard, we have just seen the very sad news that Vicky Taylor has passed away today. I know you would want to know, to be praying for Al and the children. God Bless.”

 The person who sent us that will never know how eternally grateful I am that I knew before I read it on Face Book. I know that FB is a great place to let a lot of people know stuff but amongst status’ of what someone had for tea or where someone is on holiday, or wedding photos, it would have been very tough for me to read of such a close friend’s death because I had no idea such news was coming. So thank you to you.

Through my tears this is what I said over and over. ‘This can’t be true.’ I guess you said the same.

This is the first time I have lost a close friend and the pain is immense. Being 5000 miles away doesn’t help. I wanted and I think needed to laugh and cry with the Free- Range-Chick girls. I wanted to be at the funeral. I wanted to hug Al and the kids and I couldn’t. Thanks goes out again to friends who called and messaged, for those who I laughed with during those horrendous early days. Facebook was a friend to me during that time and continues to be.

The last time I saw her was at the end of January this year at a Free Range Chick’s retreat. I flew out to Tanzania the week after that and if anyone would have told me that that would be the last time I would see her this side of heaven, I would never have believed it.

I first met Vicky at the Elim conference – it must be over 10 years ago now. I was a pastor’s wife in Wales and I had heard about Vick so wanted her to come and speak at our church ladies’ weekend. She was running Life Link (an organisation that raised money for missions) at the time and it won’t surprise those of you who knew her that she was running around, red in the face in her blue Life Linkt-shirt sorting out an event for the conference. After that initial meeting, we became great friends. I never saw her angry, or sad – her smile would greet you across the room and laughter was always high on the agenda even when her world was crumbling at times – and she did have those times.

If anyone were to ask me who is one of my greatest influencers, it would be Vicky. I know so many would say the same. She helped me believe in myself, we did so much stuff together including women’s conferences and SUMO training. The SUMO training event holds a memory! We shared a room and her snoring was sooooo bad, I ended up sleeping in the bath! I’ll never forget seeing her come into the bathroom the following morning and we laughed for a long time. We would meet for coffee/lunch in Marks and Spencer’s at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol and we would talk for hours. She always made me think and I think I did the same for her.

I was at the very first Free-Range Chicks conference and I still don’t know how this came about but she asked me to sing the Shania Twain song, Man, I feel like a woman at the banquet. There we were all dressed in our poshest dresses ready for a lovely evening of wining and dining. I had NEVER done anything like this before in such a setting and, to be honest, I was very nervous! I didn’t know how it was going to go down and I wondered whether I’d be kicked out of our denomination for it! (Not really, but I think it crossed my mind!) There were some older ladies there from Elim and I just didn’t know if they’d get it! Let’s face it, it’s and unusual song choice for a ladies conference, right? Maybe they’d walk out? Anyway, the time came and within the first few beats of the song, it took off! I loved it, they loved it and I ‘forgave’ Vick for making me do it!! I’ve sung it at a few women’s events since then and it’s all down you to my friend…Thanks!

If your passing was the end, I’m not sure how a lot us would carry on especially Al, Abi, Luke, Jon and Sam – you were an amazing friend, wife, mum, aunty, sister and cousin. I am so very grateful that Jesus was the reason we met and that Jesus is the reason we will see you again – what a party that will be – do you think I could sing, ‘Man, I feel like a woman??’ My heart is at rest because I know thattruth but still, for now, this truth remains:

My world will be a little less because you are gone from it.

See you later Vick……

Deb x