She said good-bye

Last month I said I would write real soon. I forget how quickly time passes, especially as I busy myself in the many activities of ministry and life. I did a funeral last week for a very dear lady that I baptized at the youthful age of 82. A month later she said good-bye. I wept a great deal over her death as it seem to come so quickly. It was a painful reminder of how quickly my own death approaches. It tells me that I take too many days and too many things for granted. Betty had been married for almost 65 years and yet for her and Jack it just wasn't enough time. How thankful I am that I can speak of them and know that because of Jesus they will be reunited.

In this same time period we celebrated the arrival of a new life as my wife's neice had her first child. He is beautfiul and in his precious breath it seems that, at least for a moment, all of life's trials she has faced are blown away, hopefully never to return. God gives many gifts and the coming of a child into this world counters many of the woes as God says I will always give life, and that gift translates into never saying good-bye.

So what changes have been wrought in my own life with these events? I can tell you that when I hear the voices of our grand-daughters and grandsons on the phone, for a moment, my life is lightened. I feel an indescrible joy and in the midst of sadness I will smile as if all is well. They grow so quickly in this rapid movement of time that I shall endeavor to never take those phone calls for granted.

I am also taking more time to pray and meditate, to contemplate and get to know the God who made me. I never want to say good-bye to Him and He has made all provisions necessary for good-bye to never be spoken between us. I have thought of stopping this blog as I think many have probably stopped reading it due to my infrequent entries, yet I do not want to say good-bye. So for now let's not and continue on down the path.