Passings

I woke up this morning to a text message from an old friend, telling me that her father had passed away during the night.

Actually, this old friend was my girlfriend all through high school, after which we tragically broke up (meaning I cruelly dumped her, but that's another story) and lost contact with each other for most of 20 years. We've talked since, in the past 3-4 years, and keep in touch sporadically, enough to tell each other about our family and children. For me personally, there's been some good healing there.

But anyway......

The text message had been very simple: My dad passed away last night. I sat silent for a moment, trying to clear the sleepy cobwebs from my brain, and trying to remember her dad. It'd been 25 years or so since I'd seen or talked to him. I figure I was 19 or so the last time we spoke (which is about the time I dumped his daughter, but again, different story).

I wondered what to say to her. I haven't really experienced a loss like that in my life. I've been very lucky/unlucky (you pick, I haven't quite decided which it is yet) not to have experienced the death of a truly close loved one. My grandmother Florence died in 1995, but I hadn't really been close to her for years (to my great sadness now). My former mother-in-law died in 1996, but she was back in Oklahoma, and I'd never developed a real close relationship with her. So the losses I've experienced, although very sad, have not the loss of a close loved one for me.

So I thought of my friend, her husband and their kids, her sisters and brothers (some of whom I knew well back then) and really took it to heart that a family had lost their father. As with all parent/child relationships, some of the kids are closer with their parents than others, but ALL feel the loss to some degree.

Its the closing of a chapter. The end of an era, and an ending to possibilities.

I wished my friend and her family the best, and will be praying for their family, and especially her mother. I know she loved her husband dearly, and will miss him.

After I woke all the way up and started the coffee, my own dad called and we talked for a while. He's getting older and having physical problems of his own. I know before too many years pass I will experience this loss in my life as well. It's something we all have to deal with, eventually.

Say the things you want to say to your elderly loved ones right now, folks. I've learned this much from watching others deal with death. Not much you can say or do after they pass away. Live today, talk today, and walk today. Don't wait for these types of things until tomorrow, because you just never know if you will have a tomorrow or not.

Straying from the Mark

Ephesians 6:10-12 "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."

I heard someone say one of Satan's greatest achievements is convincing people that he doesn't actually exist. I would say Satan's the second great achievement is infiltrating the Church, and convincing people that the Gospel message passed down through the ages is outdated and in need of change.

On that note, I found this article in Christianity Today very interesting.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/juneweb-only/123-11.0.html

Fort Bragg Musings

Took a trip to Fort Bragg this weekend, with my girlfriend Alene.  We left Friday night, unsure about the weather since it looked kinda thunder-stormy, but wow.... did we get lucky. 

This is a picture of the Botanical Gardens in Fort Bragg.  I got tickets to the garden as part of our trip because I know Alene enjoys gardening and plant stuff.  I was happy to go along and enjoy the scenery, mainly because I knew she'd be happy with the place.  Typical guy thinking, right?

The Garden was absolutely lovely.  I was stunned at the amazing spectrum of colors and fragrances we came across as we walked around.  The garden is arrayed along 4-acres of coast land where the climate is apparently very healthy for rhododendrons and other semi-exotic plants.  Several species that normally thrive in the hills of Tibet or China thrive here as well.  We spent a good 2-1/2 hours wandering the paths through the flowers, and along the cliffs at the ocean.  If you really like "botany", you will enjoy this garden. 

As we sat on a bench along the coast, enjoying the view and the breeze, we couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the area, and remember that God did indeed create it all.  I felt very blessed to be able to enjoy the peace and quiet for a few minutes, and steal away a few precious moments alone with Alene (well, and the dogs too!).  

But that also reminds me that, although God created all this fantastic beauty and wonderful scenery for us to enjoy, he also placed US here to work and be useful in this beautiful world.  

Yes, I truly believe the world is a beautiful place.  After all, when God was done creating it, He looked over his creation and declared it to be good (Genesis 1:25).  That includes all the lions, tigers, spiders, snakes, scorpions, mountains, oceans, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes!! God made this world and called it good!

But, as we, His children, enjoy His creation, and even sometimes tremble at the power of His creation (and yes, mourn when His creation produces calamity and distress on us humans), we have to remember why we're here, and why God created this world for us.  And that's to serve Him, and each other.  

Alene and I were talking about relationships on our drive home, and we came to the conclusion that the best relationships are those where we care more about how we can be of service and help and joy to others, than how others can service and help us. When that attitude of service and love is reciprocal, then relationships blossom and friendships grow! 

Jesus said, the world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another.  Let's love like we mean it, and show the world the Jesus changes lives.