These are the doors that lead to our combination pantry\laundry\utility room. We've lived here for six years with no door, and(like a lot of other things)I never got around to putting it together until now. I think I am a procrastinator(maybe I should look this up for correct spelling and definition - nah, I can do that later), not all the time, but when I am I do it well! Today's memorial service was a good one! It had all the earmarks of a horrible personal experience, but God somehow turned that around and made everything come out as it was supposed to. His timing is always so much better than mine, I don't know why I spend any time worrying, but I do. This evening we gathered at the home of the gentleman we remembered today. Mostly family, and my wife and I. The food was excellent and the fellowship fine. Around 7:00 I was exploring the workshop where Jack did his relaxation with a host of woodworking tools. In the lathe there is a bowl that he was working on. As I examined the piece that is near completion one of his great grandsons came out to talk with me. He was very curious about me and opened our conversation with, "You're an indian, aren't you?" That always leaves me in a really good mood so I entertained the 11 year old lad. Soon we were talking about the various tools and how they functioned in the shop. Jack was 83 years old and his shop is a vast storeroom of history when it comes to tools. Andrew and I talked of his home in San Diego and of his school, and a lot about what his great grand dad did out in the shop. What struck me most deeply was that here I was with a lad that hardly knew Jack at all, but he was drawn to asking question after question about the "things" Jack did. We had about 20 minutes out there together, and it was me that came away with the greater blessing. The unfinished bowl made a statement that I will not forget. None of us knows when or how we are going to pass from this life(that would be scary)but we have to realize at some point that we are going to leave some stuff unfinished. Some of those things will be trivial matters, but some of them will be of immense importance to someone close to us. Several times these past few days with the family I have heard mention of concern over the state of Jack's soul, which I have no doubts about myself. He is with our Lord tonight. The things that were really important Jack took care of very well. The bowl may get finished by someone else, but there are decisions that only you and I can make. Things which we can only do ourselves, and it is best we don't put them off until it is too late. Therefore, it is really important that we let the people we love know that we love them. Finish the things as much as possible that someone else can't do. Leave this world with a sense of peace concerning your passing. I need every day to make sure that I haven't neglected to share my faith with anyone who is in need of assurance and forgiveness. I suppose compared to these thoughts the bowl becomes less significant, but only if another does not take up the tools to complete the work we have begun. That's how our faith works! God teaches us so that we may teach others. That's how it has been for 2000 plus years living in the light of our Savior, Christ. God bless, Preacher.
