Death and Dying

"Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died." Genesis 5:5

I have attended the homecoming of many human beings and have visited even more in the last days and hours of their lives. At first, I found this part of my ministry and Pastoring a little discomforting and overwhelming. Through the years, my description of the experience has changed to comforting and awe-inspiring. I think because the great majority of those I have had the privilege and honor of knowing at the end have been believers. I have seen and been blessed by the faith assuring heavenly graduation of wonderful saints and faithful followers of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There have been angels, miracles, God’s perfect timing, and peace that surpassed understanding. The unfathomable power of being close to someone who goes to our Father is almost indescribable. Of course, when it is my family; there is an additional level of involvement, and attachment, and personal loss that is intense. Because of what I do, who I am, and my experience, it takes some extra effort to deal with a personal loss.

I met my father-in-law Gordon Wilson when I began dating his beautiful daughter, Dawn. I asked him a few months later for her hand in marriage, and at first his was willing, and then came a list of expectations. I was open to just about anything to win Dawn, so I attended a conference with him, flew to Texas to meet family, and responded to a thorough interrogation of every aspect of my life. A summit meeting with his Pastor was scheduled and his support was pivotal. So, we cautiously proceeded to official engagement and wedding plans the next year, 1977. I have known Dad for 35 + years and the mutuality of our respect has grown. He was not a hugely relational guy and I am, he is not a sports fan, beach-type, or into contemporary Christian music either, but we hammered out a friendship in the common ground of Biblical inerrancy, some politics, appreciation of American Heritage, and Classical music. I am sure it took some work on both our parts. Worth it, especially because that earned me the right and honor to hold his hand, wipe his brow, apply chap stick, give him swabs, and adjust him in his hospital bed.

As I sit here and write this, I do so at a time I would have visited him today. But, today he is in heaven with our Heavenly Father and with my Dad, I might add. Heaven is the best of all common ground. We will be even more together there. So, we are planning a private burial at sea, for a private man who essentially did the best he knew how. Altogether, Gordon Wilson lived almost 80 year, and then he died. My gratefulness for my wife cannot be separated from my gratitude to him, for his part in my life. My last words to him were, "Dad, God is with you, you are going to be okay." His last word to me was, "O.k.", spoken a few days before he went home.

He is O.k. now, I know. Praise God Sir, til we meet again,
Pastor Fred

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