It's been a good weekend. Busy day at church this morning - baptism of 7-year-old Ben. Welcome to the family of God. 27 third-graders received their Bibles - music, spirit - we sensed the presence of God.
Yesterday Cindy and I (among many others) walked in the Ian's Flu Foundation walk. It is an annual event. Glen and Julie Moise have responded in an amazing fashion to the loss of their son. I encourage you to go to the Web site and get acquainted more fully with their story. But what I want to say is this.
At 11:00 the walk was beginning. 200 people were joining together to support the effort to educate and vaccinate children so no other child need die from the flu. As I joined with others I thought of another event taking place at 11:00 a.m. yesterday.
Bishop Eugene Frank's memorial service was taking place downtown. Bishop Frank was elected bishop in 1954. He served 16 years as the bishop of Missouri. Everyone in the church knew Bishop Frank.
I remembered a time over 30 years ago when I was a seminary student. Cindy and I were home one weekend and we went with my dad to a one-day retreat and heard Bishop Frank. In his message he made the statement: "God plants the seed of redemption at the heart of every tragedy." I've repeated the insight many times.
Yesterday as we were doing the walk and Bishop Frank's service was taking place at the same time I thought of that moment. And I realized that what he said was so true. I found myself participating in the seed God planted at the heart of the tragedy of Ian's untimely death. Glen and Julie are truly being used by God to make a tremendous witness for the redemptive power and grace of Jesus Christ. It's been a great moment of finding ourselves in the midst of what God is doing.
Blessings.
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