Mindy Lynn Wells (Marsalis) is survived by a loving family who will never forget her contagious smile and out going personality. She was a daughter, sister, wife, and mother and will be missed by all.
My wife of 8 years, Mindy, passed away on August 6, 2008. For the last several months my life has been one hectic, roller coaster ride. I find myself filling my schedule with as many "to do's" as I possibly can so that I don't even have time to sit down and watch TV. This makes some days very stressful, but for me stress is easier to deal with than grief. Mindy was the ultimate loving mother, she showered our children with affection and would do anything for them. God is perfect in his timing, and as much as I want her to be here with us I have to remember that. The children are adapting better than I ever expected, but I can't help but think I could do more for them. I want Mindy to look down, as she sits next to Jesus and discusses our family, and see what a great job I'm doing raising our kids. The only problem is that I don't think I'm doing that great of a job. A good job...but not a great job. When it comes to parenting, it seems I'm in a race car, barreling down the asphalt. I clip other cars as I rush past and I rub the wall at every turn. Not out of control, but just barely hanging on. And the best part is, there is no finish line. I can come into the pit as often as I like, but there is no finish. I don't know if that makes any sense to anyone else...but it seems perfect to me.
I never realized how deeply a part of my life Mindy was until she was gone. I mean, she was my wife, and I loved her through all the good and bad. I think we had more than our fair share of bad, but my heart was hers. I knew she loved me deeply, she told me often. But I didn't understand how a little at a time that river of love had run through my heart and eroded the bedrock. How it had softened me a little at a time and just kept growing. Now that she's gone I can see the deep chasm left where the river ran before. It's deep...and dry, but not dark. Her memories still light up the path like a bright summer sun. As much as I enjoy the warmth of a sunny day, I'm still uncomfortable listening to the quite stillness of a canyon where a bubbling, churning river once ran.
I take comfort in knowing that she's sitting next to my savior, and I'll see her again someday. But until then, I have an uphill battle to make sure my children remember their mother. They have to remember the love that Mindy felt for each one of them, and I have to be the messenger of that memory. I don't like being a single parent of three, but I love my beautiful children more than anything in the world. I've always felt that a father should provide for, and protect his children. But now even more so. Now I just need to find out how to be the greatest dad the world has ever seen. I need to keep them grounded in the truth, and help them learn to see the world as it really is. I want them to discern for themselves what is right. Especially in a world that seems to let anything go, all is relative and good in moderation. Please pray with me that God will grant me the wisdom to make good decisions for my children, and strength to be consistent in those decisions. And please pray that the love of their mother will sustain them when they need it. That they never forget all the wonderful things she did for them in the short time we had with her My sister in-law, Jennifer, put together this beautiful presentation for Mindy's funeral service. Please take a moment to view it if you have not already.
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