Today is Monday, June 7th, 2010; Karen's Korner #1836
Our friend, Byron (Lefty) Hofmeister died this weekend. It wasn't unexpectedly. He had been ill for a number of weeks. Lefty was our school's superintendent for a number of years before he retired and continued to reside in Clarion. I had the privilege of serving a term on the school board during his tenure. It was a time when our school was having declining enrollment, a loss of funds, and a very limited way at that time to vote in new money.
Lefty was a master at stretching the dollars and saving money wherever he could. More than once I heard him say, "If money needs to be saved, you can hold my salary this year."
As he aged, he became legally blind. But Lefty maintained a somewhat active lifestyle, keeping his membership in a local golf course. Other people would drive him to the course, chauffer him in his golf cart around the course as they would golf together. I had the privilege of doing that several times each summer up until a couple of years ago.
We made a good team, as we did a two-person best shot: he couldn't see and I couldn't golf. (He was a very good athlete. In spite of the fact his sight was limited, he could still golf pretty well!). We had scores in the high 40s or low 50s for nine holes as a team, which I didn't think was too bad considering.
He was always appreciative of people doing that and so many other things for, and with, him. He rarely had bad things to say about others. He was a good friend to our family.
Knowing of his pending death and as I was driving down several streets in Clarion several days ago, my mind began calling attention to residences where 'unwanted changes' had come in the not to distant past.
The man who lives on the right hasn't lost his wife that long ago, so he continues to adjust. Oh, here's another person, a woman, who lost her husband. This family is adjusting to a cancer diagnosis. A few houses later is a family who is trying to overcome a job loss. Two more with either medical diagnoses or a family death within the last couple of years.
It felt like death and destruction was everywhere.
So where is God in all this?
He gently reminded me that He is right where He always is: caring, comforting, saving.
He doesn't like all the death, destruction, and hurt any better than we do, so He sent His Son to heal and save every hurt, illness, and to restore life.
We always have hope; we always have help! It is as close as our asking for it!
"But our citizenship is in heaven.
And we eagerly await a Savior from there,
the Lord Jesus Christ,
who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control,
will transform our lowly bodies
so that they will be like his glorious body.
~ Phiippians 3:20,21 (NIV)
**
Thank You, God, that you make everything new, good, and right!
There are no tragedies in Your Kingdom and for that we praise You!
Amen.
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