Dear Members and Friends of St. John,
I was with my dad when he passed away on Saturday
morning, August 25, around 5:30 a.m.
That afternoon my dad’s five children met with staff from the
funeral home to plan his funeral. We sat around the table with the
funeral director, Joseph, with his administrative assistant, and with a lady
who works on site at the cemetery. Her name was Mary Jo. During our
sharing and planning we mentioned that my dad had visited my mom's grave every
day since she died in January of 2011.
Mary Jo asked, "Does he drive a bronze car?" Well, yes my
dad drove a bronze Toyota. She then followed up our statement by
reaffirming, "Yes, he was there every day, and sometimes twice a
day. He'd get out and talk, and then get back in his car and drive
away. We haven't seen him in a while.
We wondered where he was." Of course, Dad had given up his
drivers' license in January, so he could no longer visit my mom’s grave unless
someone else took him.
My brother James is Pastor of Amazing Grace Lutheran
Church in Oxford, Florida, just south of Ocala.
James had recently visited with Pastor Bob Besalski, our former pastor
for many years at First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, who, in some very real
ways, is still pastor to our family. Bob
lives a block or so from my dad’s former house and kept in touch with him. After hearing the story from Mary Jo, James
related that Bob had told him that he had never seen anyone grieve as long for
his spouse as my dad did. After all, you don’t often hear of someone
visiting the grave of their spouse daily, more than seven years after their
death!
Some might think my dad was grieving. And in a way
he was. Dad sorely missed my mom since she died. But, I tend to
look at Dad's behavior in another way that tells us about who he was and is.
Dad was faithful. In his wedding vows he promised to love and cherish Mom
"till death do us part." My dad didn't just take that to mean till
my mom's death. Dad loved and cherished my mom until his death. So he kept visiting her grave. Dad was faithful. Yes, my dad missed my
mom and longed for her. But he kept living his life. Dad worshiped. He spent time with family. He took care of daily chores. And Dad visited
my mom's grave every day until he stopped driving. Even after he couldn’t
drive, he still sometimes he got to her grave. My dad was faithful.
Faithfulness describes my dad in other areas of his life as
well. At one time or another he served
in every office and on every board possible at First Lutheran Church in
Gainesville. Dad wasn't looking for recognition. He didn't demand
respect or privilege. It was part of who He was as a child of God, part
of his relationship with Jesus. Yes, my dad was faithful in his
relationship to his family. He was also faithful in relationship to His
Lord and Savior. Even after he couldn't drive he was in church most every
week. He continued daily times of devotion and prayer. After his
death his granddaughter looked at his devotional material. It was open to Wednesday, August 8, the last
day before he fell and ended up in the hospital. Perhaps the word that best describes my dad,
in my eyes at least, is “faithful.”
Some may see this faithfulness as a virtue in my
dad. But even more, I'm convinced that
my dad's faithfulness is a reflection of the grace and greater faithfulness He
knew he received from Jesus, our Savior. In John 10:11 Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd. The
Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." Jesus’ laying
down His life for us is grace. Jesus’
sacrifice is undeserved love. My dad knew and trusted Jesus' saving
love.
But then, later in chapter 10, Jesus follows up on this
message of grace with a message of His faithfulness. "27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow
me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no
one will snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:27-28) Jesus doesn't just lay down His life for His
sheep. He gives eternal life to
all who follow Him and believe in Him! Eternal life! No one can take Jesus’ love away from His followers.
Jesus is eternally faithful.
My dad knew he was a sinner who was unbelievably blessed
by the life and the death and the resurrection of his Good Shepherd,
Jesus. Dad believed that this grace of Jesus was eternally true. My
dad heard the voice and the call of his Good Shepherd to follow his faithful
savior. So my dad, as well as he could, sought to live faithfully himself
in his relationship with His Lord. He sought to be a faithful servant in
God's church. And he was faithful to my mom and to our family.
My dad also taught his family faithfulness. With his words and in his actions he called
each of us to honesty and responsibility.
He called us to Christian lives of that put our faith in Jesus into action.
He lived faithfully, and he taught faithfulness.
I hope and pray that I can serve my Lord and honor my
dad's memory by serving Jesus and His church, and my family, by faithfully
reflecting the grace and eternal love of my Good Shepherd.
A Child of God, Praying and Striving to Reflect the
Eternal Faithfulness of Jesus,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Here are some
pictures from Dad’s funeral, 8-29-2018, https://photos.app.goo.gl/bMddU1XmpfFgBvHD7.
P.P.S. I updated
the slide show I put together from my dad’s life. You can watch it on
this link. https://photos.app.goo.gl/J4LjF4SRk2csw1NY6
P.P. P.S. I returned home from Florida and took some
family members fishing on Labor Day.
This was a first salmon for my grandson, Jackson. https://photos.app.goo.gl/22x4N7u9avZGXiCU9
P.P.P.P.S. I drew
an “any bull” permit this year and planned to be hunting at this time. I will be gone for a week or a week and a
half. There may not be a “Thoughts from the
Pastor” next week.
******
ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ - I am
sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and
friends whose e-mails I have. (I am regularly adding new names of friends
and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first
time.) However, if you do not want to receive this e-mail, please let me
know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message.
******
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