A Few More Trips Around The Sun

I've taken a bit to write this post because of recent events that hit me pretty hard and I needed time to think about them. Recently we lost an elderly man at our Church - a man whom we all highly respected. He was a good man, a brother in the Lord, and an elder for many MANY years for our congregation. Charlie had lived a large part of his life in service to God as an elder at our congregation and we all feel very positively about where he is now but his loss was very difficult.

It was the first time in my life I have experienced the passing of someone - in person. I am thankful to God that it was very peaceful for Charlie - I personally think he deserved that after all his years of service and the good man that he was. I did not have the opportunity to have known him as a young man but I knew him as an older man and he was to my knowledge a very good person and example of what a Christian should be.

Charlie would always greet everyone at the building on Sunday mornings with a big broad and happy smile. It was his way of saying "Good morning! I'm happy to see you". If you asked him how he was doing he would always say "just fine" until the last few months of his life when his health had failed him considerably and he was having some significant discomfort. Even so, he still greeted all of us with that smile.

Only about ten short years ago, when David first came to our congregation to be our full-time preacher, Bob our other elder expressed to David that he would be preaching a lot of funerals; presumably he felt that way because the congregation was by and large advanced in age. Still, I don't think any of us would have really thought about the prospect that both our elders, Charlie and Bob, would be gone from us a mere ten years later.

The night Charlie passed away, David and I went to collect some food for those who had gathered at Charlie's house to comfort his family. While we drove to the fast-food place, David and I talked about Charlie; how much he meant to our Church, what a good man he was and how much he would be missed. Along the way David mentioned that he has thought a lot about his own parents and how much he strongly desires to yet have more time with them. He expressed this so very eloquently when he said he just really wanted "a few more trips around the sun with them" so badly.

That got me to thinking about life and family and those we love. I guess that's what we all want most in life with our loved ones - just a few more trips around the sun together. His alusion to the way in which our planet orbits the sun in ticking out the slow passing of one year of our lives was a beautiful way to say that it is our relationships in life that richly bless us, encourage us, and transform us and it is all a very great blessing from God.

So, it is right that we are thankful to God for our family, our friends and each and every trip we make around the sun together. We have the potential to richly bless one another with our love.

None of us really knows how many trips around the sun have been allotted to us. There are many things in life that can affect that outcome. However, each of us has the opportunity to make the most of our current voyage; to impart our gift of love and concern for those around us on this trip while we are yet here. That's what Charlie did; he imparted love and value to all those who made the trip with him around the sun during the eighty three years of his life. The pictures of his life and loved ones that were on display at his funeral richly and greatly attested to this and no doubt those many happy memories of him will bless those of us lucky enough to have known him for the remainder of our lives.

So, let us all take advantage of our current trip around the sun. Let us love one another. Let us wax bold in expressing it each and every time we have the opportunity. Let us never end a conversation, a telephone call, a letter, or an email without saying "I Love You". Let us make the most of this great gift that God has given us in those about whom we care so very much. They are indeed a great blessing to our lives.

I close as the year draws toward an end, with only about two months left to this trip around the sun by saying I Love You All - my family and friends - and you are ever in my prayers of thanksgiving to God and my requests for His watchful care over you.

Love - Jerry