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“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
Psalm 116:15
{I had thought I would not participate in the Nester’s “31 days of…” this year, but the prompting of a friend and reading Sarah Mae’s first day… I decided to give it a go. For the next 31 days I will be posting 31 Days of Light for Your Hike, 31 days of Bible truth accompanied by some sort of photography of views along my hike.}
I did not post last week as it was a time for me to be quiet and minister however God asked me to within my church family. Our church had a very highly respected teen involved in an accident that brought him into the arms of his Savior, Jesus Christ.
I say a highly respected teenager. They seem to be harder to find these days.
Though I was not close to this young man or his parents, I was greatly impressed by the fact that his funeral was a celebration of his life and the majority of those who stood up to speak of this 17 year old, were men of our congregation and community. Men who hold positions of authority in our country as State Troopers, men who are godly christians within our church family, pillars of our church, as my daughter put it so aptly, men who are “highly esteemed and respected”.
Each one that stood and voluntarily shared what God burdened their hearts to share with this assembled group mentioned this boy’s love for His Lord and his country, and the godly life he led. He was a teen who was respectful of those around them. He was a gentleman. You don’t find photos of him hanging all over the young ladies he escorted to banquets… for he was a true gentleman. A kid on fire for God who had a firm handshake and a testimony for being a hard worker.
So as I write out my gratitude this week, much of it is from a place of “hard eucharisteo”, as Ann puts it.
1211. sledgehammers and watermelons
1212. jokes that he comes up with that make me laugh hard
1213. his humor, always at the right time
1214. roborovrski hampsters
1215. upcoming youth retreat: Paid in Full
1216. dogs that smile when you scratch them
1217. Occupation Day- she went as an online missionary, a Christian blogger, wearing her in(RL) t-shirt
1218. the right buttons were there in an old box
1219. ready to be sewn onto a vest
1220. He and she walked straight out of 1776 and into their classrooms
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1221. One came from the fifties and went to school with blue jeans, white t-shirt, and hair slicked back
Hard Eucharisteo …
1222. pastors who are there for their faith family
1223. teachers who take their math class to Dunkin Donuts,
seeing their need to have a break from the normal routine,
giving time to grieving teenage hearts
1224. compassionate teachers
1225. the peace that God wraps around hurting hearts
1226. that he knew his Savior and stepped right into his presence, whole and healed
1227. A home opened for youth to gather and grieve together
and draw close to the Lord while…
1228. …drawing close around bonfire flames.
1229. the opportunity to serve, to minister “as of the ability which God giveth:
that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.” (1 peter 4:11)
1230. A young man’s life testimony bringing glory and honor to his Jesus…
1231. …seen and acknowledged by so many highly esteemed and respected men in his faith community.
1232. Parents who exemplify God’s grace in their time of deep sorrow,
even while their hearts are aching and shocked by the suddenness of it all.
…
1233. that we can cast all our cares upon our God; who cares for us (1 Peter 5:7)
1234. a persistent and insistent dog, who clearly loves me
1235. first full color fall tree – sadly, I did not get a photo
1236. a job promotion
1237. new shoes at 75% off!
1238. brownie corners
1239. chocolate ice cream
1240. a boy who prepares ice cream for his little sister
1241. ten pounds lost, the scale slowly moving the desired direction
1242. One with fractured heart raising a hand
in acknowledgement of God’s goodness and faithfulness through heartache.
