Sweet memories!

"What could I do, Kayla got the drop on me!"

Good morning class and welcome to another episode of our long running series entitled "You've got to be kidding me. Right?" Thanks for showing up. I bid you welcome to today where we are dealing with Thursday, May 15, 2014. We always remember those near and dear to us on their birthday. Today we are thinking about our baby sister Kayla. Today would have been her 62nd birthday had she lived. She was promoted to heaven back in 1979. One thing I know for certain. Kayla would be proud of the family she left behind. She left behind a testimony and a prayer for them. We can see God's grace at work in her three girls who have all flourished and are very productive in their chosen professions. I am very happy to report that her Spiritual heritage is alive and well. She was not around as long as many but her life counted. It counted to us who were a part of her family and it counted to many that she witnessed to before her departure. What kind of impact? Time and eternity. Happy Birthday Sweetie! We have not forgotten.

Too morbid? Not to me. Sweet. Very sweet indeed. God made those tear ducts for a reason. I've heard about this song many times but never really paid attention to it. It's entitled 'Tears Are A Language'

Often you wonder why tears come into your eyes
And burdens seem to be much more than you can stand
But God is standing near
He sees your falling tear
Tears are a language God understands

God sees the tears of a broken hearted soul
He sees your tears and hears them when they fall
God weeps along with man and takes him by the hand
Tears are a language God understands

When grief has left you low
It causes tears to flow
And things have not turned out
The way that you have planned
But God won’t forget you
His promises are true
Tears are a language God understands

God sees the tears of a broken hearted soul
He sees your tears and hears them when they fall
God weeps along with man and takes him by the hand
Tears are a language God understands

The good news is how that mourning turns to joy when we grasp the fact that at the moment of death our Kayla realized the fulness of the object of her faith. Let us not forget that this old world is not our home and we, as those who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on our behalf, we will one day live forever in His presence. While theologians argue this that and the other about exactly what that means, folks like me take heart in the Holy Spirit inspired words from the Apostle Paul,"...we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." (2nd Corinthians 5:8) May we all live with this hope as a priority focus of day by day living. How? The writer of the Book of Hebrews put it this way: "...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Chapter 12, Verse 2) I can hear Kayla saying, "Amen brother, Amen."    ....More later.