Good morning…
I wake on the morning of Bill’s memorial service, praying over the words gracing his obituary, lifting up into the LORD’s healing light his dear wife and their two unique kids, his extended family and his many, many friends. Next Monday Bill would have been sixty-two years old, had his life not ended suddenly on September 1st. The essence of Bill lingers with me as I savor a few segments of the summary of his life.
Loving family man. Twinkle in his eye. Work. Golf. Boating. Lover of the outdoors. Spent countless hours tinkering in the yard with beloved dogs and cat. Coached football. Devoted fan. Longstanding, loyal church member. Generous. Greeted each room with a warm smile. Family was the most meaningful and important part of Bill’s life. His wife, his precious high school sweetheart, was the undisputed love and partner of his life. He will be dearly missed by her and their twin children, both of whom Bill was incredibly proud.
I feel drawn now to revisiting these words from Psalm 146 shared in our blog post from yesterday, Steve’s Thoughts On Scripture.
I will praise the Eternal for as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God as long as breath fills my lungs and blood flows through my veins.
Do not put your trust in the rulers of this world—kings and princes.
Do not expect any rescue from mortal men.
As soon as their breath leaves them, they return to the earth;
on that day, all of them perish—their dreams, their plans, and their memories.
Blessed are those whose help comes from the God of Jacob,
whose hope is centered in the Eternal their God—
Who created the heavens, the earth,
the seas, and all that lives within them;
Who stays true and remains faithful forever.
I believe that Bill and his loved ones are among the blessed who can honestly say, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2, NIV). As Bill is returned to rest in the earth today, our living hope is centered in the Eternal, our loving God, Who stays true and remains faithful to each one of us forever.
From this day forth, may we follow in Bill’s footsteps, living out the Psalmist’s words: I will praise the Eternal for as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God as long as breath fills my lungs and blood flows through my veins.
…Sue…
