Yesterday...

we got a phone call around noon that one of our members at our little church passed away. We are grieved to say the least. Remember, this is a very, very small church and very close. He had been on dialysis for a long time but he was VERY faithful to our little church.

He was just at church Sunday morning and seemed to be doing okay. We are just so shocked. Mike talked to his wife and she would like him to do the funeral. He is a little nervous because this will be his first (other than family) that he will be fulling in charge of. I know the Lord will lead him and that he will do fine.

I am sad for Chris's wife and family. I love what they represented to our church. They have broken down barriers in that small church and I am thankful for that. I am thankful for the opportunity to worship with this kind man who always had a hug and smile.

You know, every time I am faced with the death of someone close it smacks me in the face. We never know from one minute to the next when death will sting us. I am reminded of the verses in I Cor. 15:

55. O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?
56. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Thank you, Lord for these comforting words when our feeble minds can't wrap around what we are seeing and feeling. Have a thoughtful day, everyone!

*update~I was going to take the song off today but I felt it was fitting for this post.