Once in a while one must stop on the journey and take a rest.  As I rest I reflect back to 34 years ago when Kathy and I joined hands in marriage at the Baptist Church in Enterprise, OR.  She has not only been the wife of me, but she has been the one true friend who God used to support me through the darkest days of my life–coming out into the open about my past.  It was only 5 or 6 months into marriage that I opened up to her.  God had convinced me I must tell her.  In so doing, she didn’t leave me, she simply kept encouraging me to take steps towards getting help to work through it.  She is an awfully good encourager.  I thank God for placing her in my life.  Now, 34 years later, I’ve not only told my story but written it in a book, daily blog about it and meet with individuals every week to help them through their own personal struggles.  God immensely used Kathy to help me find His direction for me in all of this.

Yesterday’s funeral for Sterling seemed to go well.  There were an abundance of people who came to support the family.  There were also many who came for the dinner following it.  I saw family members I hadn’t seen for a while which was nice.  Sterling was a man who loved family and yesterday was a tremendous example of what he believed and supported.  The tributes all said so too.  His family loved and respected him.  Their tributes were so touching.  It is sure a stark reminder that our legacy will live on either good or bad.  Yesterday’s message of legacy was one of love, respect, joy and gratitude.  I’ve been to so many funerals where this just wasn’t the case.  It is all the more reason to step back, reflect on our present circumstances and correct the areas God is nudging us to address.  Life ending doesn’t need to tell that my pride stopped me.  It should say that my surrender of pride allowed me to make amends where they were needed.