A few weeks ago, I told one of my closest friends, Rick, about how I planned to adopt and prayed hard about it, then God gave me peace that he had you waiting for me in Heaven, an answer like hannah got with Samuel; in fact, I started to realize what happened when my prayers for a child turned to God putting in my heart about praying like Hannah did to dedicate Samuel to the Lord.
By now you've met Rick. I'll reminisce about him some here, but - partly for a testimony to those around the world who may read this after losing someone - I'll share what happened first. He fought cancer for several years and beat it twice before this third one came back with a vengeance - in fact, he was only given about a 30% chance of surviving the second one in his liver, but with surgery he did without even needing chemo (would have started it but had an infection for a long while so they couldn't.) He was cancer free after that.
Of course, I say "Uncle Rick" because I like that way of referring to close friends of the parents as aunts and uncles, though ours was okay with just calling the friends by name. It's especially meaningful for one so close because I did love him like a brother. We'd only known each other for 23 years, so only since I was a young adult, but it was still so special - his whole family was always so nice, and he was such a kind, caring considerate person.
Most importantly, of course, he knew Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, which is why he's up there, he'd called on Jesus to forgive him and save him from his sins, believing that He'd taken the punishment for his sins when He died on the cross and rose from the dead. Whereas Jesus took that punishment for you and since you never got the chance to live, instead of being adopted by me you went straight to heaven.
We'll spend time reminiscing about all the fun we had with Rick when we all get together. there were so many great things, so much laughter and good times that helps remind us of him. But, nothing compares to the joy up there.
It's hard to say whether we remember good times the same way we do here on Earth up there - and i know it doesn't pay to ask you becasue I'll get that little voice in my mind saying, "It's a surprise, Daddy." I did kid him that he's got a dog named Nitschke after the Packers' linebacker and one day soon he's going to have the real Ray Nitschke greeting him since the guy was saved and rick was such a huge Packer fan. I wonder
It's neat how I don't have to say I wish you could have met him, because now you have. Friendship is so important. The right kinds of friends, that is. A friend that is closer than a brother, one you can rely on for anything and who will always care about you. And, that's what Rick was. Rick was the nicest guy, I felt comfortable with him right away when I started going to Canton Baptist Temple. He accepted and shared my goofy sense of humor, and we always had a great time together. It was so easy to laugh about such silly things. He understood how to be a Godly person and have fun as a Christian.
Of course, Rick was dedicated to the Lord. He put God first
in his life. However, he wasn't afraid to have fun with his love of the
Packers, and no he had clearly dedicated that love to God and how the
Lord richly blessed him through his love for the Packers. The visit of
Hall of Famer Dave Robinson in Rick's last week's was just one of the
many ways God used the Packers to bless him. And, of course, God used
him to bless many other people too. It's amazing how many people
considered him their best friend.
Rick knew that the main purpose of life was to show God's
grace, but while he shared the gospel he generally just used his life to
display God's grace. He was always looking out for others, always
caring about other people and being friendly. There were a couple times a
guy got saved who had been in our singles class after months of going
there and he remarked that we have lost focus because we had gotten too
interested in the phone and not as much and making sure the people
spiritual lives were okay. He was so excited to see people falling the
word and knowing where they would spend eternity. One time when he and I
went to Green Bay in 2000 I had prayed beforehand that someone get
saved on our trip and lo and behold, we gave a tract to someone where we
were eating lunch there and the fellow came over 15 minutes later and
thank the saying he had gotten saved. We were both so excited, and now
Rick knows just what became of that man, named Josiah.
As noted, of course, most of our memories of him revolve
around the fun times we had together because he knew the wonderful good
clean fun that Christians could have. He reveled in it, Whether joking
about tickling oneself like he did with me or telling really wild
stories of things that really happened in this family, or just making
jokes, he was full of life. It's so wonderful to know that he is again
full of life up there, and probably having so much fun playing with you
and getting to know you.
I could share a multitude of funny stories. Depending on
how much one remembers of those good times, he probably has already
shared many of them. The time he went to a gas station dressed as a
revolutionary war soldier, for instance, because he was going to a
party, and someone look at him and said that guy goes way back. Or the
time he went to Green Bay and he and his friends were decked out in
Packers stuff and Ohio State Buckeyes stuff and someone in the crowd
said that just isn't right. And so many other things.
Of course, what matters is that he is completely whole. He
is healthy and full of life with no pain, no suffering, it is so
wonderful to know. Just like you are safe from all those problems.
The even more wonderful thing, i know is that when i do finally see you, to be absent from the body is the be present with the Lord.
However, I remain down here becasue there are so many who aren't saved. Rick knew that. he wanted the Gospel preached at his funeral so people would hear, and it was, and 12 people (at least) raised their hands to indicate they'd prayed to receive Christ as Saviour, from what the minister said. That is so exciting! He also had reason to celebrate because I left his calling hours early and in my ministry class got to lead a girl to Christ. I pray he'll be able to celebrate others getting saved who are without Jesus, just as I know you will, and I hope all reading this will pray for those same people.
Until we have great great, joyous celebration together with all our friends and loved ones who know the Lord, I'm glad you're in a place that doesn't have anything bad in it, where there's no pain, no suffering, no sorrow, no sin. As I explained that that girl that night, it's impossible to sin up there, but since we all have sin in us, we need a SAviour. Thankfully, Jesus Christ, God in flesh, died to take the punishment for our sins and rose from the dead, and all one has to do is call on Him to forgive and save them and turn from their sin and make them new inside. A person can do that reading this right now, in fact. Just like that fellow who read that tract.
Enjoy it up there. I'll keep serving the Lord down here because I'm encouraged by you and great examples like Rick, but the real reason is because of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. I owe it all to Him, and I do it all for Him. Sure, i fail sometimes, because I'm human, but I have His promise of forgiveness and salvation. Just like you.
till we meet.
Love, Daddy.
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