Dear John

I know yesterday's post was on the heavy side (Mark Driscoll). Before that, I talked about shoveling snow. Although the snow was heavy, the topic was light but hopefully purposeful. The post before, the shooting in AZ. I try not to stay one way in this blog; instead sometimes silly, sometimes serious. Sometimes both. And, maybe, neither serious or silly. And that is not good, according to my self-editor.

Not sure how to classify the post below.

Yesterday, I received a text right after school. When I get a text on my iPhone, it dings like that contraption one presses when walking into a store where you want attention and service. That bell thing...what comes to mind is a public library?

I am not a serial texter. I have fewer than five people who I text on a regular basis or who text me. Yesterday's text was from my buddy John, who now lives in North Carolina, but who was back in his former town of York taking care of business, inquiring if I wanted to get together for breakfast. Before he moved to N.C., we would meet each Friday for discussion, laughs, and reflection. We memorized the Book of James together. A decade in duration.

When he moved, I was sad. Yet, I trusted that God had other fields that needed harvesting. John has been such a good friend, graceful confidant, and an example of what it means to love Jesus. Today was a reminder of how special he is to me. And maybe, I would not have truly and fully known this, unless he left.

What is God teaching you by taking people, places, or things away from you? I am heartened that John and I will be able to spend eternity connecting and communicating, even though our times on this earth may not coincide often from here until the other side. Saying goodbye is not final.

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