Starting somewhere...

How do you go about commemorating someone? While there is no quick answer to the question, it at least begins with the person. David deserves to be remembered. Both for who he is and for what he embodied. Further, he was just so darn quotable.

It became apparent to us as we heard the reports rolling in that David embodied the idea "Irresistable Influence". Connected to this idea is a question: "What will people say when you are gone?" Will anyone notice?  Well, yes, people noticed. And it is not just because he was a good guy and they were sad that someone like him was no longer around. It is because he touched people. He impacted them. He made a difference. People noticed him because he stood out.

He was not showy. He was simply Dave. Lover of God, lover of life and lover of people. Sweet natured and exuberant. Strong and tender. Open and honest.

Next, it involves grieving. As Jesus taught us " Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted". Mourning is spiritual. It is right. The apostle Paul exhorted the Roman church to " mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice". It is not something that we are intended to do in isolation. Yet, healthy grieving always incorporates the defiant hope that is built into the gospel. It involves the vision of the eternal.

Grieving is rarely linear. When people ask me how I am doing, I simpy tell them that I am going forward. At least I am doing that. However, I compare it to a roller coaster ride. One of the corkscrew, gravity defying variety that plays havoc with my central nervous system.

Therefore, I will not be writing in a straight line. It won't begin or end at any particular point. However, it will be going forward. It may not seem like it at times, but it is a matter of faith for me to say that it will.