Sad Morning

I Corinthians 15:54
So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory."

Like the picture above, people wander in and out of our lives. For the briefest moments in time, we connect. Words are shared, memories are made and then life takes us in different directions. He was a troubled soul....
You could count the years on his face...lines etched deep and yet, at the same time, he was always wearing a smile.
Slow shuffle...
He always had a "Howdy" to everyone he met.
Yes, he made bad choices during his time here....
His body evidenced the truth to this.
But his demeanor was one of a gentle soul. 

Now don't get me wrong....
He was demanding at times, like a little child.
He wanted what he wanted and he would sometimes pitch a fit if things didn't turn out like he wanted them to.
He was, what we at Rapha refer to as, "high maintenance." 

My most favorite memory of him is still captured on a Cd of one of our Saturday night meetings when we held them there on the camp at Rapha.
For whatever reason, I had chose to do the song "Hold On" by 60's group "Sam and Dave".  The place was rocking that night. I mean everyone was into it. People were singing at the top of their lungs....God was in the house. At the end of the song, you'll hear my friend shout out...."I ain't in jail no more....I'm in Church!" Everyone just cracked up.

Somehow in the midst of his childish view of life and the way he saw things, I do believe that he made peace with himself and with God. He came up during one of our services and told me that he wanted to know this Jesus like I knew Jesus. He didn't want church Jesus..he wanted the real deal Jesus. So we prayed. Oh the words weren't very pretty and he stumbled and fumbled over what to say...but it was the heart that I think God was listening to. I do believe that my friend laid aside his church Jesus that night, and met the real deal Jesus. 

So this morning, when I opened the paper to the obituaries, there was his name. This has become my morning ritual. Checking the obit's to see if anybody who came through Rapha is listed. As I read his obit, my mind was filled with his face, his voice and the simple fact that "he wasn't in jail any more.......He was in church."

Rest in peace Gary....
You done good.

God on you...
mb