Saying Goodbye to "The Lobo"...

It is a cold, grey and breezy day here in northern California...how fitting, as today we say goodbye to my cousin's husband, Jerry. Though I hadn't spent much time with him over the years, one thing is certain, he left an indelible impression on me. He had a way of making me laugh until I thought I would wet myself...especially when he was with my brother-in-law, Terry. Jerry and Terry...what a couple of jokesters they were! He always had a smile on his face and his eyes sparkled like the the sun dancing on a summer sky. He had a stutter in his speech, which only endeared him all the more to those who knew and loved him. My niece, Darin-Rebecca, said he would get stuck on a word then say he needed a shot of whiskey to stop the stutter...I can almost hear him say that in my mind!

He loved life, and his wife, Jackie (my cousin), WAS his life. They recently celebrated there 31'st wedding anniversary and he wrote on the envelope of the card, "My Wife, 31 more".  When she asked what that meant, he said, "I want more years with you".  That envelope will, no doubt, become a beloved possession of Jackie's.

Did Jerry know You, Lord? My cousin, Susie, spoke to him of You on the phone less than 24 hours before he passed away. She says she was comfortable that he was passing into Your presence to spend eternity with You. I pray that is so...and I cling to the promise that You do not desire that a single soul should perish. I KNOW that You can take a thousand years in what we see as a blink of an eye, to reveal Yourself to the lost...and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Today I will say good bye not only to Jerry, but to my cousins, Jackie and Susie... I don't know when, or if, I will see them again this side of heaven. If not, I am confident we will have a blessed reunion and spend eternity together...

Today I will no doubt cry, laugh, grieve and rejoice...but joy will come in the morning...

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." ~Matthew 5:4