Too Long In-between

6 Months? Are You Kidding? Since When?

Well, I declare! How time flies when you’re having fun! …er, How time flies when you are this old? maybe? So, you’d think I would have something worthwhile to say after this long. Let’s see what this brings forth.

We just returned from a normal semi-annual trip to Indiana, the May 1st trip being for my high school alumni banquet. But, this year it got extended due to a not so pleasant a cause. My brother Pete had three sons and about the 28th of April his second son, Doug, died in an auto accident. They scheduled his memorial service for this past Thursday afternoon, so we were privileged to go and say a collective goodbye to Doug. I was asked to speak at the close of the service after 3 others had said their tributes and goodbyes. Doug was greatly loved. Even in some dark times of his life, Doug was always upbeat, had a wonderful winning smile, and never seemed defeated. He also possessed a wonderful testimony of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I was privileged to have him tell me about his salvation moment twice. It occurred while he was incarcerated, and got so low; low enough to see and understand he could not save himself eternally, and knowing that, he placed his trust in what Christ did for him. he was comfortable in professing that to me.

Wanting to relay that message from Doug to all his friends and relatives, I spoke simply about why Christ was the answer, why His sacrifice was acceptable to God the Father, and then if anyone wanted to be sure they would see Doug again, they should do as the bible plainly says, “Believe on then Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

It was a pleasure to be in the company of his family (and mine) as well as many friends of his and the family’s. Many fun stories occur in these situations and we heard a fair share of them. His brother told of growing up years with a neighborhood of close aged friends and pre-electronic get-togethers to play baseball, football, and other young boy foolishness. Sounded rather ideal compared to the eyes-on-the-screen world we live in today.

From there we proceeded to my home town in expectation of the alumni banquet. We picked up my 96 year old sister and took her—oldest alum attending for the 3rd year in a row. My class was represented by only two of us, I was schoolmates with Martha for 12 years, even though at the end she married the star basketball player for a rival school!..grr. but, we’ve all come to respect and honor him being at our banquet, also.

Since there were only 7 graduate years after my own (1960) making our youngest alumnus being about 74, our number each year is shrinking. From last year we had lost 17 people to whom we gave a moment of honor by name with a brief obit telling how they had spent their life. I found that very interesting as well as enlightening concerning some folks. Each seemed to have had truly individual lives of various values. One such, a member of my class, when they came to his name, I secretly hoped they didn’t try to read his published obituary—it would have taken maaaaany minutes to read all that he had been involved with for all his adult life. That man was busy! But, thankfully Mary Jane. the historian was content to say it in few words. 

On Sunday morning, we attended GracePoint Church in New Whiteland, IN, to listen to Brother Jim Devney preach. He said he had changed his mind about what to preach and he went back to a perfect subject for new bible students who desire to practice “rightly dividing the word of truth:” A study of why do we follow Paul’s writings—it was truly an excellent message. You can watch it on their website; gpindy.net or on YouTube channel GracePoint of Whiteland. It will bless and teach and remind you of the “simplicity that is in Christ Jesus.” You’ll be glad you listened.

There is probably not a “grace” preacher that I would agree with 100%, word for word about how they spell out the doctrine. But the differences are so minute that they hardly amount to division or even simple separation. Basics are wonderfully the same for us all, and Brother Jim’s presentation was terrific! We were very glad we went.

Hope this was interesting enough to read. Thanks for doing so.

the Elder