Welcome to my blog, or should I say to the ramblings of an old man. I doubt that my ramblings are of much value, but at least I have an opportunity to share them.  So, please be kind and humor me. If nothing else of value stands out in these thoughts, I hope that you at least sense the value I place on a daily walk with the Lord.  That walk is what has provided me with motivation and a sense of purpose throughout my lifetime.  My prayer is that you, too, are experiencing this direction and joy in daily living which is available to everyone who puts his trust in Christ.  So, thanks again for joining me.  Please don't go without leaving some comments here so I can get to know you better as our paths intersect today in this blog.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Faithful and Dedicated

This is my 312th blog. Unfortunately, too many of them have been about good friends who have died. My father-in-law used to say that it was hard to get older and see all of your friends move to heaven. Fortunately I haven't reached that point yet, but so many of my friends are now enjoying their new home in heaven and I miss them. This past week it was a dear friend of ours, June Zellers, who changed addresses and is now enjoying heaven. June and her late husband Norman were responsible for bringing Dianne and I together when I was a college freshman attending their church in Sunbury. She and Dianne played the piano and organ together for several years there. Norm and I sang in a male quartet every Sunday morning on the radio for four years and three summers while I went to Susquehanna and Bucknell. We remained close friends over the years and did many things together. June was an "old-school" believer who was committed to the work of the Lord. She was faithful in ministry and was always at church whenever the church was open for services - morning and night on Sunday, twice a week for prayer meetings, and at all the special services and events. It's hard to find such dedication and faithfulness among believers today. She taught adult Sunday School classes for years and was active in almost every church ministry. She was loved by all, especially the children in church who prayed for her when she was hurting from a variety of physical ailments. She had a heart for others, especially their spiritual needs. And as we heard at her funeral, her family - children (2), grandchildren (6), and great grandchildren (11) and their spouses - were a priority for her. Her greatest desire was that all of them would come to know the Lord. And today they are faithfully serving the Lord. She prayed for them daily. When they had needs or needed encouragement, they called her. When they needed a lecture, she called them. And daily she also communicated with them ... are you ready for this ... through Facebook! What a legacy! I think her prayer and desire for her life were summed up in a song, written by Steve Green, that was sung at her funeral on Saturday.

(1) We're pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road,
And those who've gone before us line the way.
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary,
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace.
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us, Let us leave to those behind us,
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe,
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful!

(2) After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone,
And our children sift through all we've left behind.
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover,
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find.
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe,
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful!

June, be assured that your desire has been fulfilled. Those of us who come behind you have seen your faithful life and have been challenged and stirred by your legacy. We will miss you, but we know that you are much happier now in your new home, without all the physical problems with which you lived without a complaint. And, please say hi to Norm.

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