Saturday, July 02, 2005

i remember you...........

I came to know you when you joined the jr. high group at church. we started a bible study with you guys. your family was very involved. they (especially your mom) helped with everything. even the all-nighters with the church jr. highers. if having 2 of her own wasn't enough. you grew quickly. played baseball. played football..threw your knees out doing it. (at 15!) you struggled with having an avowed atheist as a teacher. you had the guts to confront him...as he was preaching his brand of religion in the school he taught at. he saw your point...and stopped...in your class!

you went to all the camps we did...and gave your own unique self to us. you gave numerous youth sunday sermons. you invited the drum major of the high school to youth group. he gave his life to christ as a result of your care. i remember the francis a. schaeffer book (the God who is there) you gave me for my birthday...the one you signed. i still treasure it. you graduated...with high honors....and then we went on a sr. retreat...with your dad planning three squares a day for all of us. (and we even kept to the menu.) i still remember the "gotta have romaine with your salad..iceberg is garbage greens". i still have romaine @ souplantation.

you were easily accepted into a west coast equivalent of an ivy league school...and you never lost your childlike faith. you went to central and northern california during 2 consecutive summers and worked as intern youth pastor at churches that couldnt afford to hire one, for the few students they had. you then went to alaska, and worked at a church as youth pastor over one summer...for the same reason. you then graduated with a double bachelor's in philosophy and political science. you chose ministry over law school. your father didn't get it. you did. so did your mom.

the summer after graduation, you went back to alaska, for another year or so, to your beloved students and ministry. you came home for christmas, feeling tired. i stopped by to visit you. little did i know it was the last time i was to see you. you were relaxing on the couch, feeling a bit ill. we had a good time reminiscing, sharing ministry joys and sorrows. you went to the hospital, apparently suffering complications of chron's disease. during treatment you went into septic shock, suffering a number of strokes. they performed surgery on your small intestine. everything looked good, your mom and aunt were there, waiting in the hallway. one of your friends called.

while he was on the phone with your mom, you flatlined. i got the call, left youth group for the house. your mom dad and sister were there. your mom and i went and sat in your room...remembering you...looking over the books in your beloved theological library (the ones that weren't still in alaska) and at once being devstated that you were gone, but at the same time, happy that your life had been as god had planned. maybe there was a reason you didnt go to law school. you knew.


I say 23 was way too young for you to go.






I love you friend. I miss you.

1 Comments:

Blogger Theresa Coleman said...

(o)

10:09 PM

 

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