My Deep-Thinking Best Friend

Today the world got a little dark as one of God's points of light went home to be with his Heavenly Father. Bob Johnson passed away this morning after almost a ...8 month battle with Leukemia.
Bob had hoped to be with his friend, soul mate, love of his life and wife Penny somewhere in the warm southland of the United States. However God had a different plan.

Bob and Penny accepted God's plan, not with out some fear and trepidation, but also with tremendous faith in what God had in store for them. Bob and Penny are such an example of people who faced the frailty of human mortality and are a shining example to us all.

Bob lived a life of walking daily with the Lord so he never had to ask the question. What would Jesus do? Bob knew from his work.

Bob you are in a better place you are whole and physically healthy again. Your wonderful smile is back as well as your wonderful wit and sense of humor. Your are missed by all who knew you and especially by those who loved you.

Bob you were a great inspiration to me and when my time comes to go home to our Heavenly Father I hope I can do so with the same dignity that you did.
God bless you and your family.

The above words were penned (well, computered) by my husband Dave. I mentioned them in an earlier blog. My hubby is gifted with great thoughts. He keeps these nuggets inside most of the time and breaks them free in surprising ways.

Once when I was struggling with some relationship issues in a community of Christ followers, I felt isolated, ignored, discounted, and unappreciated. I would attend each meeting faithfully, give extra, go the farther mile, and come home feeling exhausted and unwanted. When I had just about decided I had ignored God's timing, I came home from a meeting ready to announce I was dropping from the team. I decided I was "from that no longer needed prior generation" and the younger people did not need me. Dave greeted me with a hug then a card. Inside the card was a rainbow of colors, a verse that said he couldn't know what I was feeling but he knew I was hurting and was there for me. There was also a necklace with a little white dove.

I have the card still. I never keep track of where it is because I like that it pops out when I least expect to see it. I find it most often when there is a heaviness in my heart. It makes me smile. It makes me acknowledge Dave has always been there when I need a buddy. God gave us deep relationships so we have His presence through their love.

The team I was on? Well, as so often happens, I was encouraged to stay. When the program we were planning came to pass, I was the mighty mouse who saved the day. Not alone, but when the church basement flooded, during the weekend-long retreat, I was the one who organized the team in two groups so one could sleep and be ready for the morning and the others could clean up the water and get their rest during the next day. Another woman on the team took charge of organizing the "cleaning crew" into groups to accomplish the work with the least noise and most efficiency. I might have missed the experience had I quit.

Dave encourages our granddaughters who are experiencing teen angst. He reaches out to countless men who are trying to recover from spending their lives in criminal pursuits. He has a somewhat, no he has an actual sarcastic wit that often covers up the intense feelings underneath. He is my God given gift and soul mate (as most wives I have to remind myself from time to time I chose to spend my life with Dave). Dave reminds me often I once prayed specifically for someone and Dave meets all the specifications. Therefore, he reminds me he is an answer to prayer. Yes, that he is!

So, if you know him, if you count him as your friend, if you seek his wisdom and his wit, then be on your toes. Stay tuned in and alert to hear or read his tokens like the one above. It's worth the wait.