February 15-21, 2018 Realities of Life

I sit in reality; in 3 hours we went from 80 degrees to a balmy 18. But reality changed in other ways too. Our plans to be in Charleston, South Carolina for 3 days of ocean, warmth and relaxing changed to last minute airline ticket to Atlanta, sitting among people who I have a history with and a common love for a man who got off the train in heaven. I thought that was the simple change but never realizing that by changing plans to hang around Ashville with Tyler after the pastor at his church suddenly died, we would be in the right place at the right time.
I asked one of the reporters at the Monument in Charlotte yesterday afternoon if he remembered where he was when JFK died, or when Elvis died, or when the Challenger blew up or 911 happened? He wasn’t sure where I was going with the question since obviously most of them he wasn’t alive for. We remember big events in life; I was within 20 miles of Billy Grahams home when he died. We had just been at the Cove; the BGEA training facility near Ashville. Tuesday night, as we sat on the rocking chairs and later I knelt at the prayer circle in the Chapel, it crossed my mind… but more of a question of what Billy Grahams days were like? The waiting on the train to get off in heaven, having done so much here on earth and wondering what is coming next? I thought about it but never imagined it would be in 12 hours that he would be crossing Jordan.
We went to the Library in Charlotte, a time killer for us before we headed for the airport, but when the news broke that he had passed, we drove into media, TV stations, journalists and heavy police presence. Wow- in death you make one more statement that Jesus Christ is worth living and dying for… and free coverage at that.
I will process almost 1000 photos from our weekend. Some will be good, some will be nice and some will be awesome. I am not sure any of them will ever totally portray the emotions felt from the Friday Funeral of our dear friend Fred Miller, to the last day standing at the monument and talking to a total stranger about what faith means and how his life was different because he lived what he believed.
And then of course, eating supper before we left for the airport with friends, we were talking about the upcoming trips to Africa and a lady came over to talk. When you live, you communicate. When you communicate, you touch people’s hearts.When you show Jesus simply by being who you are, you come across as being real. Real people, touch and move other people to think about life.
I hope the words the lady said at Captain D’s, she keeps in her heart. I pray the words I said to the young man make him look not at Billy Graham, but at the God Billy Graham served. And I think it made him think… he had his questions… I had different answers than he was looking for. But in life, isn’t that what we are called to be; different?
An amazing week and all that really went amuck was the suitcase broke and I lost one of my good shoes; the right foot. So, American Airlines has my shoe somewhere between Charlotte and Mpls and I’m okay with that. I might even keep the left one as a reminder of the eventful week. I could put flowers in it or use it as a picture frame holder… Regardless, I will never forget February 15-February 21 of 2018…