To die is to gain

Where oh where is your sting?  death..........

Death for sure has a sting but it is for those left on this earth and it is temporary.  Denny left this life as we know it, at the age of 32, leaving his wife and four babies.  Leaving a grieving mother, father, step father, brother, grand mother and so many many friends.  It is hard to believe when someone is so full of life to see them so  lifeless in the casket.  So unreal....................................Death where is your sting????????????????????

I was talking to Steve,  talking about the bible saying to die is to gain, I do not even have a glimpse of, we are not of this world, but of the one to come, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I think so much about every day life here on this earth, we get so caught up in so many things that will not even matter when death comes to us.  Of course we are on this earth and we do have to persevere here, but on the thought of death, its does not have a sting for the believer, for once dead your present with the Lord, Denny was in Heaven doing what he loved worshipping the Lord, singing with the angles, dancing on streets of gold...........but those on earth were in shock, grieving, barley putting one foot before the other one..........his family wondering how will I go on?  His mother saying, I can not do this Linda............his daughter's and son's and wife, here with out him...............I do not have any answers, I pray I will never know this pain first hand, death is final, no do overs, no saying I am sorry to someone you have hurt, we have no promise of tomorrow, but we do have a bright hope and promise for our future, Jesus says He will come again, he is preparing a place for us, we will all be together again,  until then we have memories, laughs, tears for Denny in our hearts. You know the people you have been upset with, you think you will still be upset in Heaven? or will you have a different perspective?  Life can be ever so short here on this earth for family squabbles, broken friend ships, spouse problems, I urge you therefore to make peace with each other the ones you love and love you, we need each other in this life, make time to refresh friendships, play with your children, grand babies, mother, father, sister, brother, cousins, aunts, uncle's........life is just to short not to have those special people in your life know you love them, would you have regrets if someone past today?  If so take time to make it right...no regrets:)  Denny had so many people his life touched, so many stories to be only 32, he had a church full for his service in Pine, La. where is was a children's pastor, he had over 500 for his memorial service here in NLR, his motto was "love like Jesus loves."..........and he did................he will be  missed by all, but he has left his mark on our hearts, I am forever changed by his death.  I pray the sting will get better for his sweet family, God is a father to the fatherless, a husband to the widow, the only way I told Denny's mother I knew she could get through this is because I have seen others endure the loss of a child and they are still putting one foot before the other with God's fresh mercy and grace that is new every morning. 

God hath not promised skies always blue;

Flower strewn pathways all our lives through:

God hath not promised Sun with rain:

joy with our sorrow,

peace without pain.

BUT

God hath promised strength for the day;

light for the way;

grace for the trails,

help from above,

unfailing sympathy, enduring love.

This blog is not intended to be depressing, but thankful for a life that touched so many, in so many ways, Denny was his own person, He walked to his own tune, and now we see, He walked to God's tune........................made mistakes, failed, but was a very successful man of God and father, husband, son, friend, brother...................I just pray I can love people the way Denny did, red or yellow black or white, they are precious in His sight.........................................LOVE LIKE JESUS LOVES........