Thank You Dana and Tom - And Thank You God

Recently there have been a couple of our friends who have passed away. I think at times like these, I can quickly do a half-hearted attempt at grieving and not really slow down enough to allow the loss to really sink in. Some of that might be a defense mechanism on my part.

As I reflect on the death of each of these people, some of the first things that come to mind are:

1. What amazing people each of them are. 

2. The immense number of people who credit each of them with having an influence in their life (including me).

3. The similar values that each of them held and lived consistently.

4. The way that each of them is remembered by their family.

5. The fact that each of them had a significant influence in my life yet they never knew one another or even that the other existed.

6. They both loved Jesus well and their love for Him was the reason that they served and loved Him and others so well.

Dana Hacker was a beautiful soul that Sondra and I had the privilege of getting to know back in the early to mid-80s. She taught at the college we attended and lived in the neighborhood close to Sondra's parents. She and her husband, David (a local dentist) were super kind and inviting. Their two children, Emily and John, were young and just fun to be around. Actually John was the ring bearer in our wedding in 1985. 

Dana could pretty much do anything. EVERYONE was important to her. If she didn't know how to do something she would soon find a way to learn it and least have a general understanding of it. The interesting thing is that Sondra and I really had limited personal interaction with her over the years but the way she loved and cared for us as an engaged couple and early marriage impacted us greatly. We kept up with her on visits back to her town and in the last few years of social media kept up with her more intentionally. This past year she started having some physical problems and seemed to be turning a corner. We were shocked when her daughter posted that Dana had passed away. Sondra and I cried. It was punch in the gut. We can easily get our heads that she is no longer suffering and is seeing her Savior face to face but our hearts hurt. And our hearts go out to David and Emily. He son, John passed away a couple of years and we were both struck by the sadness of the passing of Little John, our ring bearer, and the sense of loss that David, Dana, Emily and John's family was experiencing. 

Tom Carter was a friend and a true gentleman. Our paths crossed while we lived in Nashville and we instantly hit it off. Tom was a runner, a cyclist and we would talk about particular races that we had both run but never together. We attended the same church for a few years, served at the same local Christian school in volunteer roles; worked out at the same local YMCA. Tom loved his family and served them very well. His gentle nature, genuine love for people and his desire to serve were intoxicating. He was such a model of grace and love. Tom was one of those guys who was just easy to love. His sweet wife Pam, his daughters and grandkids all knew that he love Jesus and that he loved them well.

Thank you God for allowing me to be influenced by these two people who loved You deeply and yet never knew one another. Because they know You, they both are experiencing You in the fullest way now and throughout eternity. Be with their sweet families as they grieve the loss of their wonderful loved ones. Be their strength, peace and comfort in a before unimagined way for each of them. Thank you God for allowing me to know more about You by allowing me to see two of your servants up close and personal.