farewell

Today we lay to rest a beloved family member who died most unexpectedly. We will miss him sorely; many of us will miss him sorely because he touched so many lives with his kindness, humor and honor. His wife and children move from numb to devastated to putting one step-in-front of the other to do the necessary things.

I think of a verse dear from my own past, "And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." (Genesis 5:24) That is exactly what this feels like: "But he was just here!"

So he is free to love and live and praise in new ways, as his nearest and dearest here grieve and have to figure out how to adjust to a new everything. I read that Enoch's son was Methuselah, the oldest person noted in the Bible, and today I'm glad our earthbound missing will not last 600 years, but then neither did we have 300+ years to enjoy this delightful man.

A special lady penned this prayer for his family:

Thank You for the life of this dearly departed loved one.
May the comforting and consoling presence of your sweet Holy Spirit cover his wife and family. 
Please hold them ever so closely and lovingly that they feel your presence unmistakably.
May Your Love be manifested and Your purposes and plans revealed.
May they rest in Your peace. May Your wisdom guide them into all truth and Your strong, mighty right arm carry them thru this valley.
When there are more questions than answers, help them understand that Your sovereign grace is sufficient in all things.
May they be reminded that the enemy of our soul is defeated and the God of our hope is exalted.
In Jesus' name. 
Amen!

We appreciate your prayers and thank God for never abandoning us as we travel the valley of the shadow of death.