There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

These words have taken on new meaning this past week. No sooner had I witnessed my father pass away in a hospital room, and spent a day with my Mom and brother making all the funeral arrangements, than I drove with friends and family to Pennsylvania for the weekend for my son’s graduation at Grove City College. I was drawn to this passage as I prepared for a short time of family worship Sunday morning before we headed back to Chicago. It has been quite a juxtaposition to say the least.

I’m very proud of Marshall and his accomplishments, as I am of each of my children. Marshall has excelled academically, graduating with two degrees from Grove City College: a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics… both with highest honors, summa cum laude. He was nominated to be “senior man of the year” (and made it to the top 10) by his classmates, and received several scholarships and special recognitions. He served in the worship and music ministry of a small church near campus, and was a leader in his fraternity… Beta Sigma. He has made some deep friendships with some really great guys and gals we have come to know and love as well.

Marshall is home now for a few weeks, then heads off to Washington D.C., to work for a year at the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. Then he heads somewhere (yet to be determined) overseas to get his Masters in Economic Development, the result of a scholarship from Rotary International.

We celebrate all of this and at the same time mourn the loss of Dad, who would have loved to watch Marshall’s graduation, and would be very proud of his grandson. While we celebrate life, we also face the visitation, funeral and burial services for Dad today and tomorrow.

There really is a time for everything.

Psalm 116:15

Del Birkey

My father is dying.

Those are words I did not expect to be saying and thinking and feeling at this point in my life. I am 55 and my father is 76 and in otherwise good health. Last week he had a stroke that has robbed him of his mind and the ability to communicate verbally. He is currently on a ventilator with feeding tubes and IV’s, some of which we as a family will very soon need to decide how long to continue with.

Dad is a committed follower of Jesus Christ. He has spent the largest part of his life in Christian ministry doing youth work, pastoring churches, teaching and studying the Bible, writing and thinking about Christian topics, issues and theology. He is not without faults and failures, but he is a man whose legacy is one of growth and change as he trusted and followed his Master… Jesus Christ.

I am proud to be his son, and to have learned about who Jesus is from him (and my Mom) since I was a little boy. My concept of God as my Father, and Jesus as my Savior and the work of the Holy Spirit in my life have been in large part formed by this man… listening to him, and watching him live out his life. Needless to say, his life has had a significant impact on me. I am going to miss him.

Yesterday I was reminded of some foundational truths that Dad taught and exemplified in his life, as I read to him aloud out of the 8th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Roman church as found in the Bible:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So, as I look into the future with the high probability of life without Dad physically present, it is good to know that neither of us will be separated from God’s love, nor will a physical separation between us be very long in the grand scheme of eternity. You see, there is a very real thing called Hope, that is based upon the above words being True. Christians believe that Jesus is real and that he actually is GOD (as he claimed to be) and that He exists today and the words recorded in the Bible are actually True. We gamble our entire lives and future on that fact. As Paul said, “…if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

So, as I watch my father in the process of passing from this life into the next, I am even more convinced that what he believed and lived and taught me is ultimately True… not less true. His dying does not make me believe less because I see HOW he is dying. His example in life and during the process of dying increases my Hope and Trust in Jesus as Lord. His Lord becomes my Lord even more.

Dad is an example of a life well-lived for Jesus Christ. I can only hope to live a life half as well. I pray that I will be able to leave a similar legacy when my days are up.

Dr. Ray Pritchard shared some thoughts and memories of Steve. He ended by reading this incredible passage from 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18.

“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

Robin read a letter to Steve. It was an awesome, from the heart, love letter. There was not a dry eye after that was read. Deb sang “Jesus I am Resting, Resting,” and I accompanied her on guitar. Ray ended with a prayer.

As the crowd broke up, I took a moment to kneel and touch the box containing Steve’s ashes. I prayed and thanked the Lord for making Steve and for his friendship to me. I placed Steve completely in the Lord’s care and said “good-bye,” until we see each other again in Heaven.

I love you, Steve. You will always be with me in my heart and memory. You were a good man and a good friend. I hope that I can be as good of a friend to someone else, as you have been to me.

Wait for me. I will meet you in heaven and I’ll bring my guitar. Can’t wait to see and hear what you’ve been composing!

No more tears.

At right is a painting I did during my “dark” years… entitled: “Depression” — it expresses how I was feeling at a dark time in my life, and reminds me of how I am feeling these days.

Tomorrow, I plan to use a song in worship by Fernando Ortega called “Lord of Eternity.” We also used it during a slide show at Steve’s memorial service on September 19th, 2005.

The lyrics to the chorus are:

Lord of Eternity
Father of Mercy
Look on my fainting soul
Keeper of all the stars
Friend of the poorest heart
Touch me and make me whole

I have made this my own prayer.

His wife Robin, came home from work and found him in their basement. He had taken his own life.

I was called shortly thereafter, and immediately went to their home. It was an emotionally brutal evening and night. The police were there doing an “investigation.” Later the Medical Examiner’s office came and took Steve’s body to the county morgue in order to perform an autopsy the next day.

All dear Robin could do was keep asking the “Why?” questions, over and over. It was the saddest, heart wrenching scene I have witnessed in recent years.

I met Steve in 1997. He was running for Republican Committeeman for Oak Park Township, in Illinois, where we both live. I helped him with the graphic design of his campaign literature, as well as building him a campaign website. This was very “ahead of the times” back then.

Steve was a very warm and friendly guy. He would give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it. He was a conservative Republican in the style of Ronald Reagan, his political hero. We worked together for many years in local, county and state politics.

Steve and I also shared an interest in music – playing guitar to be specific. Steve loved the Beatles and the blues. I preferred country, folk and rock – but we made it work spending hours “jamming” together.