intoto in transit

“Pepsi-Cola” is an anagram for “Episcopal,” which some believe the drink is named after. But then “Britney Spears” is an anagram for “Presbyterians,” so we’re inclined to discount this theory.”

From the “Amazing Fact Generator” …

With apologies to Johnny Nash …

The last several months have been marked for eternity by the passing of three fathers. My wife’s Dad, Edmund Norrrell, died on January 30th. My own Daddy, Norman W. Fincher, died on February 14th. And, our dear friend & brother in Christ, Dean Barriault, died in our home on February 25th. Trying to put things in perspective over the intervening days, a post by Al Hsu helped me put some of it into words. His article here for Christianity Today isn’t about death at all. But when I read his words:

… I blinked several times, and my vision wavered back and forth. Clear, blurry, clear, blurry. Then I realized what was happening. While singing I had been tearing up, moved by God’s call, and the thin layer of water on my eyeballs functioned like contact lenses. The tears had been making my vision clearer.

…when God moves me to tears, I begin to see more clearly.

What I saw & felt & learned over these many hard days, weeks, & months is that “the tears had been making my vision clearer“!  Thank you God for three men who loved you and showed it in their lives and in their final days. Thank you, God for the tears you brought to help me see YOU and my family and friends more clearly. And… thank you, God for the tears you shed as Jesus went to the Cross, died, and rose again so that there will be no more tears!

Revelation 21:4

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

“I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God’s hand reaching down to pick me up.” – Larry Norman 2/23/2008

Thus began the short note that Larry Norman typed into his computer the day before he passed on to Heaven. Larry went to be with the Lord on 2/24/2008. He was a seminal force in the “Jesus Movement” of the early 70’s and influenced me and countless others with his prose & staunch witness for Jesus. I’ll never forget the solo concert in Atlanta in 1980-something where we were enthralled as Larry took the stage alone with a Grand Piano & guitar and then proceeded to mesmerize us with all of our favorites as well as some challenging admonitions to be true to Jesus. Another concert in Orlando with Charlie Norman showed us that Larry Norman was still rocking for the Rock that doesn’t Roll!

I know that the heavenly band has a new player this week, and he joins Rich Mullens, Keith Green, and my friend Dean in worship to the King!

Some links:

http://mattharmless.blogspot.com/2008/02/larry-norman.html

What now seems to be a few short weeks ago, our friend and brother in Christ, Dean Barriault moved into our house to live out his final days as his body battled the pernicious tumor that had invaded his brain. He moved in the week after Thanksgiving, and was welcomed into our home as “Uncle Dean” by Ashley, Will, & Aimee. We ate our meals together, laughed together and at each other, prayed together, and sometimes… cried together.

Last night at approximately 10:30 PM, Dean “caught the bus” to Heaven as the Father called him home. My wife, Jan, and another close friend, Emory Ellis, were with Dean when he breathed his last breath.  We were joined soon after by some of the many friends who had served Dean and us for these many weeks as Dean’s physical condition deteriorated daily.

These brothers and sisters had graced our home around the clock with their loving care for Dean; and as Jan & I both lost our fathers during this same time cared for us as well.

Dean was a grateful and gracious guest in our home. We shared many mornings over oatmeal & our daily bible reading before he became mostly bed-ridden by the onslaught of the cancer. Dean’s love for God and for his children was daily evident in all of his conversations with his many caregivers. He was so proud of each of his kids, and equally grateful for God for the Mercy of the Cross.  He looked forward to Heaven & I am sure today that he is there in the presence of God.

Our mutual friend, Scott Spearman, wrote an eloquent vision of what a day in Heaven may well be like for Dean here:

Reflections of a Friend, dying…

Tags: Fathers, Heaven

Another year starts, and with it many thoughts, dreams, & ambitions. One I hope to keep with is to read the Bible this year. In fact, I am starting the year with reading the Bible through in 90 days! Sounds pretty ambitious, but when you think about it, why not? There are plenty of good Bible reading plans available, but this one is both challenging & at the same time doable. I got a copy of the NIV with the daily readings already laid out, so… off I go. Details of the plan here:

http://www.biblein90days.com/

Other good plans are available from the ESV Bible Blog here:

http://www.esv.org/biblereadingplans

These you can read or even listen to online!

Tags: Bible, NIV

Last few days of 2007, just thinking about my Dad, and how it is to be one myself…

Of the many memories that I have with Daddy (because he will always be THAT – not just Dad or Father), this picture about sums it up. At Grant Park in Atlanta, GA; we are enjoying a quick bite to eat & drink while looking forward to seeing “Willie B” – the most fearsome but entertaining gorilla! From this picture (that Mom must be taking…), looks like I am pretty much in kid-heaven, while Daddy isn’t as sure about the sandwich he is digging into! Daddy took us to Grant Park all the time! Whether it was just to walk (or likely run!) around or see what new animals were added since the last time, afternoons spent with Daddy were special!

Anyway, this day, some 40+ years later (since I don’t know how old I was in the picture), I’m glad to have been raised by a man & woman who loved God, loved each other, and loved us with almost equal intensity. I pray that I learn to do the same with my God, wife, and kids.

It was only last year, it seems… or was it the year before that? Or maybe its been more…? And suddenly you find yourself older, a little wiser, but wait. who is that woman over there? And why is she still looking at you with “the look”?

Twenty three “short” years ago, “that woman” became my wife and we began to share our life together. I don’t think either of us knew that it would last – but we both certainly hoped so! And last it has!

Jan, love of my life, thank you for staying with me through sickness & health, richer & poorer, little houses & big house, Ft. Lauderdale, Herndon, and Decatur; employed & unemployed, and raising three kids.

Most importantly, thank you for walking with me as we both learn to serve God & worship him forever.

I Love you, Jan Fincher, and always will!

Wow – what a difference.  Will has moved off to attend Culinary school at the Art Institute of Charleston, SC.  Aimee is back and UAB in Birmingham, and Ashley is married but fortunately still living just down the street here in Old Decatur.

Jan & I looked at each other after Will left & wondered aloud how it came so fast!  It seemed like just a short time ago that all three of our kids were just that… kids!  Now they are "all grown up".

Taleban jihadists in Afghanistan have kidnapped 23 members of Saemmul Presbyterian Church [Saemmul means New Waters or Living Waters] who were in Afghanistan for humanitarian work. They are threatening to kill all of them if various commands are not met. On July 25, they murdered Pastor Bae Hyung Kyu and left his bullet riddled body on a roadside. 18 of the 23 short-term missionaries are women, and their captors have separated the men from the women. Afghanistan is somewhat well known (or notoriously so) for severe treatement of even native Afghan woman. The Body of Christ should be in constant prayer for the soon release of these, our brothers & sisters in Christ & also for the family of Pastor Bae. A constantly updated source with pictures and video is available here:

http://eugenecho.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/prayer-for-korean-hostages-in-afghanistan/

Truly, the world is NOT worthy of a man like Pastor Bae and these fellow believers.

When Sinners Say I Do is the name of a new book by Dave Harvey, pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church. This is by far one of the best books on marriage that I have read, and will likely bear great fruit. This last year, due to a number of circumstances, God has had me searching into the Word as well as books like this one to challenge me to do those things that will make my marriage more Christ-like.

My friend, Tim Challies, has an excellent review of the book here:

http://www.discerningreader.com/review/when-sinners-say-i-do/