October 22, 2017 (Sunday)
I am in Houston today. The Bethel church has asked Brother Dale Pogue to preach today. Dale and I, and Dale’s wife, Ann, love the Bethel church and all the people there. Dale was instrumental in my becoming known to the church and given by them a place of service for many years. Though neither of us has ever been officially “pastor” of the church, the folks there have posted our pictures in the foyer, each one labeled “Pastor Emeritus.”
Tomorrow will be a sad day, when we grieve the loss of my sister Elva’s grandson, Taylor Pausewang, gone from us at the age of 39. I have a photograph that I made of his mother when she was only about 6 months of age, in her crib. Time, inexorably, moves on. She is one of the sweetest and dearest people in this world, and I invite you to pray for her and all her family. Her name is Pamela Preston, but we all call her “Pamby.” Her daughter’s name is Tish.
Here is what Pamby wrote on facebook: “To all of Taylor’s friends, I want to thank you for your beautiful words and love for my son, it has been a great comfort for me and our family. As one post said, he treated his friends like gold, and it seems he was thought of in the same way. Though I did not know many of you, let me say that your thoughtful and heartfelt words have meant so much to me. I would like everyone to know that there will be a service for Taylor on October 23, Monday at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land, Tx at 10am, reception to follow. All are welcome to celebrate the life of my beloved son.”
This weekend for me, and many others, becomes one of mixed emotions. Jesus Himself spoke one day of weddings and funerals, all in the same message (Matthew 11), emphasizing a fact of life: Life has its mountains and its valleys. You and I have discovered that the Lord is with us in both places (Psalm 23).