Right Around The Corner!

This last Sunday was March 4^th 2012.  It was the 12^th anniversary of the day that our daughter, Alexis Joy, died while sleeping on my chest.  This year remembering her death was a little different.  It was the first time without my dad.  It was neat to see the way that God put this day together so that people’s hearts would be strengthen and encouraged through his and her death.  I have been preaching through the gospel of John for over 2 year now and as we came to March 4^th the text we came to was John 14.  This is what it says, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  (2)  In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.  (4)  And you know the way to where I am going."  (5)  Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"  (6)  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:1-6.  How amazing.  I tried to put the thoughts together like this, On March 4th 2000 a baby girl died so that this man would be saved and so that 12 years later on the day he would preach do not let your hearts be troubled, all to the glory of God, to help those whose hearts are troubled.”  That was my heart’s desire as I came to this day, that hearts would be strengthened and encouraged and lifted up as I preached the gospel and preached from some of my pain and hurt.  There is a saying that we have at the Noonkester house that goes like this, one minute we will be here the next we won’t.   Being pastor kids my kids are very familiar already of the concept of death, but the reason we say it is so that we are preparing them for the time when we die.  We think we have forever to live but we don’t.  I remember in early January as my dad was recovering in the hospital,  he told my sister and myself, “There is coming a time when you are going to have to bunker down and live without me.”  On the way home from that trip after they determined that my dad was going to be Ok Ari said, “you know dad you are right one minute we will be here and the next we won’t, this is true for granddad to isn’t it.”  She realized what we have been telling her, death is coming for us all.  I did not think I would have had to bunker down so soon but I did.  So on March 4^th there one thing I particularly missed and that was a hug.  Not that I would have got it from my dad that day.  But that was one thing my heart ached for on that day because I remembered the hug that we shared the day that she died.  We embraced and he held me so tight at that hospital when we heard what we knew was coming.  He held me and he wept with me and he then told me it’s going to be OK.  That is what my heart ached for the most this last Sunday, just one last hug.  It took my thoughts back to the Monday when we flew in from Israel to be with him as he died.  When we got there we embraced again and I wept again and again he told me, son it’s going to be OK.  You know what he was right.  There is so much I miss already.  There is so much I wish for, like just one hug, just one word, just one smile, that list goes on.  But you know what its ok.  This week I have watched video of my dad that was taken while he we was at the hospital.  He said something that gives me encouragement.  He said, you know I love y’all, but you have to realize I’m right around the corner.”  Amen.  This is what I am living my life for so I can turn that corner some day and be with not only him, but other loved ones and msot of all Jesus Chrsit.  This is what gives me hope, give me strength and what heals my broken heart when I have those moments that I long for a hug or a go blue or a I love you son.  I am not sure where you are at as you read this.  Maybe life is prefect maybe it’s not.  Either way I leave you with this great reminder.  Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in Jesus and believe in God.  When you do this everything you have ever needed or desired will be right around the corner.