We'll miss you John!

About five years ago we didn't know this man really well. He and his wife were looking for a place to live and heard we had a house for rent . They seemed like a nice couple that needed to get their life back in order after some bad choices had landed them in some difficult places. We knew his kids pretty well...they won us over in a short time. Friendly and good hearted people looking to start over in life. John and Bonnie were special to us and we are so thankful we had the opportunity to get to know them. He was always offering to help Joel with fieldwork and loved to fix him an egg sandwich or homemade bread for a treat. "Come on Joel, sit and talk awhile" he'd say...



It's hard to believe that just a couple years ago when they told us it was time to "move to town" that we'd miss them so! Last week Joel was a pall bearer for John's funeral. He was only 55 years old and had fought a tough battle with cancer for six months. He told Joel he felt that living out on our farm was "healing" for them as they came back from a tough financial and personal struggle in their life. At the funeral last week the Pastor mentioned when John had to stay in the Glory House for a short period of time that his correctional officer wanted so badly to find a way to give John a "demerit" or red mark during his stay there. These were marks for bad behavior or ways to punish them for breaking the rules of the "House" but John wasn't getting any. The correctional officer tried to make him "break" by waking him up in the middle of the night to have him vacuum the floors around the House...instead of being angry at the officer John just got up and vacuumed. He just towed the line and obeyed the rules. The Pastor made the comment how many of us think that is what God is like. Is he like that correctional officer "waiting for us to screw up?"...no he isn't! In the Bible he read to us where there is Nothing the can separate us from the LOVE of God! How comforting to know that God is not waiting for us make a mistake so he can punish us like this man did to John! Thankfully, God's love is there for us as a guarantee for those who call on Him!! We will miss you John and all that you taught us! To never give up when we are down...get back up! How God's Grace is a real and wonderful gift for all who know Him!! As John always used to say..."Rock n Roll, Baby...Rock n Roll!"