Roger had this obsession with JF Kennedy, Jack. Obsession might be too strong a word, but for sure, he knew a lot about Jack Kennedy. We have a record - as in vinyl 33 ½ RPM - called "The Kennedy Years." He read everything the man ever wrote.
He could quote JFK like nobody's business, and yes, he did say some pretty remarkable things.
Perhaps it is no wonder that Roger loved working at the KENNEDY Space Center. He went to JSC -Johnson Space Center and did not care for it. He also did not care for Lyndon B. Johnson.
This image popped up on my FB feed this evening and it seems that good ole Jack started haunting me again. I recalled Karin telling Jessica about the painting - it's history and all that - and how she pulled it out of my trash pile and hid it, and how I found it, and how I just COULD NOT get rid of it. They even thought the bug chews gave it character. Oh Girls! I have to admit though that Karin has one good point about Jack. (I guess I should say JFK, since it is a Presidential portrait.) Her point is that I told her that Roger did not bring a lot of stuff into our marriage, but he did bring JFK. He left this world with precious little 'stuff' - so unlike so many of us - and now that JFK has re-surfaced, the least we can do for good old dad is to hold on to JFK. This from a girl who thinks she is not sentimental!
I guess that means 'ME" holding on to JFK. Welcome back, Jack! I will hold onto this thought. Roger often said that in today's world, JFK could not even get elected. WHAT? WHY NOT? EVERYONE loved young, good-looking Jack Kennedy!
He would go on to say that JFK would make today's Republicans look liberal, so he would certainly not be electable as a Democrat in 2014. He had a good point. Oh how this country has changed. Values, morals, focus on self.......none of it good.
That thought brought me to some really wise words that I heard this morning. What a message our Pastor shared today. It was, like always, very thought provoking. Roger loved, LOVED our Pastor. I think he reminded him a great deal of another very young Pastor we once had, one who was only a few months younger than him. They have in common, a passion for God's Word, an ability to speak truth in love and not be terribly hated for it, and a real love for the people that they shepherd. And - that they were not afraid to speak out and teach on current events, political or not was something Roger appreciated. That they both love football probably did not hurt at all either. Clemson or Baylor - Roger loved college ball and also loved the teams they loved. He was even sure to sport an an orange shirt (stiffly starched!) to church whenever Clemson had a big win. (I guess it's a guy thing ?)
What the Pastor said this morning - while teaching about where God is in all of the current horrific tragedies that are taking place around the world today - would also be Roger's Lesson - he said it often.
Roger's Lesson: It is not that you should be asking where God is in whatever tragedy happens to be taking place at any given time - it is that you should be asking, 'am I personally ready to depart this earthly life as I know it should one of those tragedies come my way."
Pastor said it shorter, but it was the exact same point and it was like sitting there hearing Roger say it.
Roger would also have loved the acronym - he LOVED acronyms more than anyone I ever knew!
TPA - NIFRS - SLF - AVO
NASA - yes indeed - he worked in the right place. They talk in acronyms all the time over there!
He tried AVO on me and it did not stick. (Avoid Verbal Orders) --- it was probably the word "Order" that gave me shivers. "Just write me a sticky note" I would say.
This morning's acronym....EVIL ....in reference to God and why He allows tragedies and suffering would have totally had Roger's attention, and he would have been nodding..."yes."
E -EFFECT of Sin - It is not an Act of God/natural disaster, cause and effect of natural forces - but rather of Moral Evil. Sin is destructive and so it is an effect of sin - like it or not. Look for the root.
V- VOLITION - so interesting! Voluntary - Free Will. We like having free will, being able to make our own decisions. BUT if God is to take away all suffering, then we would have to give up our free will. Who wants to do that? I don't, even though I don't always make the best choices the first time around. The problem is though, that some people, those who cause the suffering, are making very unwise choices - choices that hurt others, and these are never following God's guidance. Absolutely no suffering also means absolutely no free will.
I - INSECURITY - Those causing the chaos/suffering are essentially determined to control everything because they basically are insecure - or scared that they will lose power if they do not totally control everything. Pull out your old history book and study up on that one. There is a pattern in recorded history. God is not EVER insecure in His power, so He has no need to totally control us. And then, read Revelation every now and again and that will settle it. Skip to the end. It is not about earthly power at all and the evil players in this world are not working on God's team.
L - LOVE - It sounds weird when thinking about suffering, but it does happen and yet God still loves us in spite of all the ways we mess up. In a way, you can't really appreciate how blessed you can be unless you suffer to some degree every now and then. John 3:16 tells us that He loved us so much that He sacrificed His own Son to pay the price for our sin - yes sin, not a politically correct word, but it is what it is - no variations of it, no big or little of it, just sin if it is not following God's lead. But keep reading - after He tells us that He came because we were already condemned (as in not able to go to Heaven)
He reminds us that you have two choices about eternity.
Believe or don't believe (nope, it is not a buffet of choices)
Believe = eternity in Heaven
Don't believe = eternity separated from God.
What if you put it off and just don't make a decision? That is the one that troubled Roger the most.
Really REALLY good people do this all the time. They are nice and wonderful and doing good stuff for others and just don't want to deal with eternity right now.
But look at where that gets you. Check out the BECAUSE.
In God's book - the only one that counts - Failure to make a decision sends you to the default.
The default = eternity separated from Him.
No big deal, right? Separated from God, well, a lot of people do that on earth. Money, power, fun - all can happen while separated from God - how's that so bad? Well, life on earth is short and all people don't always feel the effect of sin right away (that suffering thing)
Ah, but eternity. That is another story. Not only is it a whole lot longer - there are only two destinations. (And it is ok to pick some other book to follow, but hey, I am not challenging God on this one - I'm taking Him at His Word!)
Heaven - Eternity with Christ (no sin here)
Hell - Eternity without Christ (effects of sin = extreme, like gnashing of teeth - and more)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
YES! -
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, BECAUSE he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Roger also would often say that it is not too smart to play the game of life like a crap shoot. He was really fond of that VOLITION thing - free will - the will TO CHOOSE to spend eternity in Heaven. Even when free will meant failing to attain that perfection we think we need, it also meant freedom to fail and start again. Time and again.
I am so glad that I know where he stood and where he put his faith. It gives me a peace like nothing else I can imagine, just to know that he is in the presence of Jesus and that I will see him again. Though the loss and sadness I am still experiencing is absolutely nothing like the loss experienced by those who have dealt with long illness, or a traffic accident, or a senseless loss of life - much less a natural disasters, a plane being shot out of the air, or the horrific killings in the Middle East - it is still loss, and it is still real. And boy, does prayer make a huge difference in how I deal with it.
But I can also thank God for the blessings.
I can thank God that Roger seemed to be having no physical problems.
I can thank God that it was instant and he apparently did not feel it or suffer.
I can thank God that each of his family members was nearby that very afternoon.
I can thank God that Roger was not alone, because He directed the activities of others that afternoon so that they were at an appointed place at an appointed time and met a need when it happened.
I can thank God that for all of his adult life, Roger was quick to step in when someone was in need, and on several occasions his intervention made the difference between life and death for the person involved - and God rewarded that by having someone with him at the moment of his instant departure from this earth.
I can thank God that the paramedics never gave up, doing all they could to revive him - even though I am sure they knew that he was already with His Heavenly Father.
I can thank God that Roger lived a life that challenged others and that he was not afraid to share about the source of his strength and encourage others to that same decision.
And oh - there are many more ways I continue to thank God - because I choose to look at life that way. Not as a tragedy, but as something out of my control, days numbered by God.
but mostly....
I can thank God that this is not the end of his story because the decisions we make and what we do with our time on earth really do mean something in eternity.
And thank you, God, for the many red cardinals I have seen today. They make me think of Roger every time I see one, and they show up at the most random of times, yet just when I need it. YOU are the one who knows what I need and when I need it! It's just another blessing from Heaven!
FGSLTW - For God So Loved The World - of course!
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