Reverend Rognyt

I had a vision today, my father shaking hands with Miriam's dad. It would not be that unusual, in the past they have shaken hands, and there was no animosity between them. They likely agreed when Miriam and I were about to wed (Dec. 21, 1978) that we should have waited til we were more mature, more financially secure, and maybe out of college. Now thirty years later, well their concerns were rational but we have remained committed in love.

No, the uniqueness of these two Christian men shaking hands is tested in that Miriam's Dad died back in the early 1990's. My Dad died this morning. In full assurance and confidence, they are rejoicing in the presence of our Lord. I venture that they have few thoughts of us in our earthly doings. It isn't that they are heartless or cruel, but rather they have entered into the rest of our LORD and have left the trials, pains, and burdens of this life behind. Jesus has promised to "wipe away all tears". For them to leave behind sin and this sin filled world, God may have a way for them to cheer on those of us who are still running the race, but not be discouraged by sight or sound or ...marks of evil that are in abundance around (and in) us.

I have pondered that Jehovah is the master of time and eternity, so when we, those before us, and those to follow will step off the "Heaven Express" to arrive at the same station, same time, ready to join in the jubilee.

Dad was a farmer, electrician, mechanic, teacher, preacher, welder, father, husband, and outdoors sportsman. The Master Architect, Father God (of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon, Daniel...and a bunch of Westbrooks) has woven together an incredible and sometimes unrecognized bigger picture built from seemingly disjointed lives. In giving back to God, the people around us receive grace from the things HE has put in our hands, or made our hands to do. Love lived out by our skin and bones.

It was in one of those giving plans, that Dad got his ticket home. As farmers tend to do, one helps another by supplying what the other lacked, then in turn giving with what the second had. Brother lifting up brother. One of Dads hobbies involved collecting and rebuilding, and rebuilding, and rebuilding bulldozers (his cats). The project was somewhere that required a dozer being put on a truck with a "lowboy". In the steps of driving the dozer up, something went wrong. It fell off and rolled over. Dad was gone just like that.

I know where he is, and look forward to joining him, at a date not yet identified. His hope is in the Lord, my hope is in the Lord. The blood of Jesus was sought to purchase us back from Death and Hell. That is our only claim to allow us into "the joy of our Lord". Were Dad to be able to speak aloud to me, I'm sure he would say, "Come anytime, I'll be here, Our Father sends His love".