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| Granite Rubbing - Fallen Firefighter Memorial - Tallahassee FL |
Jim went to Tallahassee this weekend with the Police Department and Town Staff. I know it was a hard trip, even with the luxury of taking a charter bus and not having to face the drive.
The Police Officer Memorial Service was today and more names were added. I learned today that E.O.W. means End of Watch.
Why don't we all consider that our Police Officers are standing watch over us, while we are safely doing whatever it is that we do.
First Repsonders - mostly not thought about on a day to day basis - unless you are afraid you'll get a ticket because you have a lead foot, perhaps. But they are there if you need them - and even if you don't. We should all be praying for God to place a hedge of protection around them on every single shift.
In March, our family was invited to go to Tallahassee for a different reason. The trip was just too long and I was not strong enough at that point to ride for so long, so we passed. I hope we can attend the Fallen Firefighter Memorial service in 2016. Actually, I hope that there are no names to add to that memorial in 2016, but statistically speaking, it is not likely. When I think of the services they hold for firefighters, I hear bagpipes. I guess I always will.
It was really special that Jim took a few of the parchments they had prepared for the police officers and did some rubbings for each of us. It is always hard seeing Roger's name etched in granite. There is something so final about it. A lot of days - probably most days - I go through the day as if he were just at work. I wonder how long it will be that way. Then something happens and I realize, 'oh - he is not coming home. He is home.' - and then I really long for home. That eternal one.
Today had to be such a hard day for each of the town officers and staff. It was really hard losing one of our precious police officers and particularly because it was so senseless and so sudden. All he ever wanted to do was help people. He would have helped those teens had they even given him a chance to speak. Instead - they shot him and then left him there and hid, and took their own lives. So senseless. Robbie determined his eternal destiny before he left us. The teens? We will never know.
You always hear things like "God called him home." - it does not seem that way in this case - and in many cases like this. It just sounds so odd to state it that way. There were six officers from Florida who were honored in Tallahassee - for giving their lives to protect the general population - just in one year. Senseless.
I reflected on this throughout the day. A year later it is still hard for me to make sense of it. Truly, God knew the number of Robbie's days. God knew the chain of events that were to take place. I want so desperately to know why He did not intervene in those wee morning hours, yet, His ways are far beyond our understanding. All I am left with is the need to continue to pray, not for Robbie, for he is safe - but for those who were so close to him. His family, his friends, his officer partner, his Chief. Some I know, some not, but every one of them still must have those same hard days that I have when I miss Roger so much. Only - I think theirs must be harder, for Robbie's life on earth was short where Roger lived a really great 71 years. Robbie's death was senseless, where Roger's was a surprise and a shock, and certainly most unexpected - but it was easier to see that God had allowed him three score and ten - and then some - and to just accept it.
I guess we all hang on to that idea of three score and ten - I love the way the KJV puts it - that version of the Bible is so poetic! (Does anyone know what a score is anymore?) As much as we hate the loss, it is a little easier to understand. There are seasons for all things, King Solomon told us - a time to live and a time to die. As I look at another birthday, it is easy to say - oh, I'm still far from 70, I have plenty of time to do the stuff I want to do. But, do I?
We live in a super crazy world. People make personal decisions based on self. They don't value life like perhaps it once was valued. Why would you kill someone who was there to serve and protect? Yet that disregard for any authority, just bothers me - and it has such a tragic end. Young or old, when people disregard life, the end is tragic.
Today I am thinking about youth. I have thought about young people both in and out of high school, who might be troubled, but don't know where to look for answers. They try to solve their problems alone - or with others who have no more idea about where to find the real answers than they do. Or they head on off to college without ever establishing what they believe about life and eternity - and why. So many never establish a relationship with a living Savior while they are young. And then they get so confused by the 'wisdom of this world' - which is not really wisdom at all, but only talking.
I remember being in high school. I remember those nuclear bomb drills. I remember reading in the Bible that we just need to 'eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die' - it seemed to make sense with all of those missiles in Cuba, and us in Florida. Just go to the beach and party. It does not matter. We will die anyway. Might as well live it up. (Ha! and our version of
'living it up' was so mild compared to anything today!) And yet, that message was so out of context, though I did not realize it until so many years later.
Today I am particularly thankful for those people that God placed in my life - those 'old people' who over the years have still served as mentors. I know they have prayed for me over the years and I know many are still praying for my health right now. I know that I would be a really truly messed up person today if I had followed that messed up message that was bombarding my mind back in those 'Cuban Missile Crisis days. I know that is where I gained my love for teenagers and that desire to be one of those 'old people' who make it a mission to help pray them through those searching years.
Somewhere in my searching, God led people to me and led me to where He was. And I am thankful that for the most part, I have stayed there - and with ups and downs, good times and sad times, I have been so blessed.
Right now, in the midst of this battle that I face each day, it does not seem so bad when I think about people who are truly following a very messed up path. God is still blessing me, in great part due to the specific prayers of so many people that God has blessed me to know over the years - and their friends too! So many, I do not even know! I make it my choice to be positive and cheerful (most of the time, anyway) and to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving while I am on this earth. And it is working.
Roger's Lesson: It is about prayer. When you just do not have an answer and you know someone needs help but you are not able to be there to lend a hand, you can always pray. And the more specifically you pray, the better the outcome is likely to be. You can trust that God knows your heart, but why not tell Him the specifics?
I think about the many times that Roger would call from work and ask me to be sure to pray something specific for someone specific. So many times I did not even know the person, but he knew the power of prayer and I know he shared that with others. Many of his friends, I still pray for, though I rarely - if ever - see them.
I also know that regarding his quick departure, Roger would have told me - "God numbers your days, so be ready." But I also know that Robbie's departure would have broken his heart. So young. So much still to give. So senseless, the timing.
But he still would have said to learn and to be ready. Know where you are going to spend eternity.
But choices are so important and Robbie's family has determined that so much good will come of that young life. And it is. Love well, serve well, and you won't be forgotten.
Robbie is still investing in others.
Name in granite? It may be final on earth, but not for eternity.
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