Personally, the best description for the last few days of March, 2013 would be a roller-coaster ride!

Emotions were flowing as we learned of my daddy’s passing on Saturday afternoon, March 23rd.  Then within forty-eight hours, we spent sixteen hours traveling to Kansas and back for his graveside service.  Though visiting with family was a blessing, laying the patriarch of our family to rest was difficult at best.  The next forty-eight hours brought us to the annual LTC convention in Dallas (Leadership Training for Christ).  An exciting, busy but certainly focused weekend for more than 1,000 saints in down-town Dallas.  But the month of March was still not over; our youngest son decided he was ready to put Christ on in baptism…at 10:30 PM Saturday night, March 30th!  An exhilarating lift as we continued to ride ‘the roller coaster.’  Oh wait, the next afternoon following morning services, my oldest drove back to Tennessee to resume the last two months of his freshman year.  His first time to drive 9 hours…alone.  If you could see the calendar of events and feel the emotional twisting and turning, you’d know these past few weeks have been a roller coaster ride.

So how does one put this in to prospective?  Any time we lose a family member, we hurt; and anytime a lost sheep is found, we rejoice.  When you feel those two strong emotions within a matter of days you realize priorities have to be set.  What is most important and where do I put my focus?

One of the blessings we experienced at the memorial of my daddy was the assurance of his faith, and gentle hand of sympathy from brothers and sisters in Christ.  Four of his grandson’s lead the singing and read scripture, while several others shared thoughts of encouragement.  But as we closed the service we all joined in singing some songs of praise and inspiration.  We closed the service with the song, “Softly and Tenderly”.  The message was perfect as we sang about ‘coming home’ and in respect to my dad’s passing…I believe he was on his way home.  But then as I considered my son’s baptism I realized that he too began his journey as he decided he was ready to ‘come home’.  Each of these events, though separated by two different extremes, bring my mind toward what’s most important.  Do we listen as Jesus is calling us home?

“Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.”

Refrain:
“Come home, come home,
Ye who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!”

This song is a wonderful call for the sinner, the lost lamb, to come back to the fold of God.  And I certainly saw the implications as I realized my son was indeed turning his mind to follow Jesus and come home.  But as we remembered the passing of our daddy, the third verse of this song rings true.  Grim as it may be…it is so true…

“Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
Passing for you and for me;
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
Coming for you and for me.”

Roller coasters are certain to come into our lives…whether we want them to or not.  The question we must ask is how will we ride?  Many enjoy the thrill of the lift while others hold on tight.  We know there will be times when we cry out and wish the track would level off.  But the best advise is to find the excitement at every turn and hold on tight!  Know the ride will soon be over and the ups and downs will eventually level off.  Take comfort in remembering Christ is at the controls of life.  He knows your fears and He sees your tears.  And when we come to give Him our lives, even the angels rejoice.  Our Savior is pleading for us all to come home…softly and tenderly.