thoughts

I wanted heaven to come today. (Well, ok, Jesus technically, but you know what I mean :)) This past week, a member of Trinity went to be with the Lord. He was 83, and from what people have said, ready to go meet Jesus. I listened to the funeral service on tv(church broadcasts on a tv channel). The testimonies that his family and friends gave were amazing. This man lived a life of trust and honor to his faithful Lord.

The day after this man's home-going, another member of our church suffered an aneurysm. The family tells us that over half of the people with this type of condition die. It looks like he will, Lord willing, make a full recovery, so that is a huge blessing!!

I've been reading updates on a young family from Sioux Falls that I heard of from my mom. The husband and dad of 3 little girls is dying. He recently found out that he has leukemia, and the doctors have concluded that there is little left to do to fight the disease in his body. So, the family, as well as all who know of him, is praying for a miracle.

As I reflect on these 3 stories, I can see tremendous strife. The man who died was living with a disease that took his ability to walk. He had been relying on a scooter for the past 6 years or so. Before that, he had crutches. However, his joy for life and love for the Lord overshadowed his many struggles and disappointments in life. The husband, dad, and grandfather who suffered an aneurysm has a critical time of recovery ahead of him. Still, he is praising God for life today, knowing how close he came to death. The wife and three littler girls of this middle-aged husband and father are grieving the possible death of a man they dearly love. I imagine this man is crying out to God asking, "who will Be here to make sure my wife and girls will be ok?" And yet, there is hope. His wife has written of the assurance he has of eternal life, as well as her comfort in knowing that her beloved husband has loved her and the girls with a unmeasurable love.

Wow. That puts things in perspective. I tend to get down about the little 'everyday stuff.' And while I'll probably never get a kick out of the annoyances and mishaps of the daily grind, I am reminded that they are just that.... Our pastor preached yesterday on loving and trusting God. How much do I love my Lord? Just enough? How much do I trust Him? Up until things get tough? Or do/will I love and trust him with everything, to my very last breath?