Friday, October 14, 2011

Homecoming Celebration

It has been a long week in many respects.  My body seems to be struggling with side-effects of lingering chemo poison.  So I am not feeling at my best.  It has been difficult to wait  and watch a sister in Christ come to the end of her race.  Many have heard the news...it travels fast here in the Buhl/Castleford farming community.  We are a close interwoven band of neighbors, friends and family.  Serving God is rather normal.  Yet it is a reminder to all that when death actually occurs how fragile and short life is.  Normal is relative.  Jeanie was not a normal Christian.  She took her faith in Jesus very seriously.  If you knew her she was a special friend to each of us. She had the uncanny ability to befriend everyone. So early this morning around 2:30 am Jeanie entered into Glory.  My first words to the news of my friend Jeanie was, praise God! Her race was complete. Heaven, with her Savior Jesus waiting for her. He was and is the ultimate prize.  I am confident the words were spoken -- well done good and faithful servant.  What a Homecoming it must have been in heaven. Tears of uncontrollable joy.  I am happy.  I am sad to miss a friend--but only for a while.  My homesickness wells up within me and I am comforted by knowing one day I too, can and will dance on streets of gold with my friend.  Words can't say enough to cover the aching pain in our hearts at this moment.  Time will continue to tick.  Life goes on.  Yet a legacy is forever stamped across many lives.  It's an opportunity to carry the torch and let the light shine.  It's what all the saints come to the end of this life say:  Love Jesus -- know Him -- know His Word -- make Him known to others.  This is the legacy I intend to carry on -- not just because of Jeanie but because He calls us to share our story's, our hurts, our victory's.  This is for His glory and to encourage each other. Pray for Jeanie's family and many friends who were touched by her amazing faith and kindness.  The stories are countless -- so many leaned on her as their rock.  It is time for some new rocks to emerge.  It is time for a  deeper faith to shine brighter in myself and those who knew Jeanie. It is a wake up call -- our days are numbered.  We never know when the end really is coming.  Jeanie told me this week she did not expect to live this long with cancer, but how thankful and grateful she was. She was given so many opportunities to be bold in her faith and speak about what the Lord has done in her and offer the free gift of salvation to others.  How very precious.  It's not about Jeanie -- it's about Jesus and that is what life is really all about. 

Final thoughts...waiting for funeral details.  I will post them when available.  Please lift this family is prayer.  Thank you!

It's About Time

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