Focus

Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for a peace at this time.

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Read

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Reflect

A TRIBUTE

In 1996, I wrote a tribute to a good friend of mine from my church who passed away. I think it points out our capabilities and dedications.

TRIBUTE TO “SMITTY”

Lord, a carpenter just came into your presence this week. He likes to stay busy and likes to fix things.

So Lord, keep him busy and he’ll be happy. He can fix doors that jam and don’t close well, and hinges, he knows just what to do to correct that one that binds.

And Lord, don’t let anyone be wasteful, because he hated that and saved everything useful here on earth.

And Lord, you won’t have to remind him where things are, because he can remember which box it’s in, just as if it were in his own workshop.

And Lord, he could make you a nice flower bed out of blocks or perhaps out of golden bricks to adorn those walkways that we hear are there.

And Lord, I don’t know whether there are any leaky roofs in heaven, but he could find and repair a leak when no one else could.

And Lord, he never lost his sight when it came to ‘sighting in’ a wall or a building stud. If he said it was ‘square’ there’ll be no need to put a square on it was a waste of time.

And Lord, you may have to “hunt up” some tools for him to work with because he had to leave all his here below. But they need not be fancy power tools, because he worked best with the simple things.

Lord, he loved to share his knowledge with others and I suspect he’ll have an audience gathered around him, showing them how to do the many things that he had learned in a lifetime of hard, honest work.

Lord, I know you are grateful to have someone like him.

And Lord, you have received a “greeter” into your kingdom today. I suspect that already he is standing beside Saint Peter at those golden gates, welcoming those who are entering, handing out maps of heaven as if they were church bulletins.

And Lord, as he wanders over into the children’s section, I can almost hear the joy and glee coming from their voices as they greet the “candy man.”

So Lord, thank you for receiving him. May those of us who were his friends, put to good use what he taught us and find solace in the fact that some day he may be there to greet us.

In Isaiah 66:23 the scripture tells us that, “All mankind shall come to worship me from week to week, month to month.” That was my friend “Smitty.” Every time the doors were open, he was there. Are you and I faithful like that?

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Pray

Lord, help each of us to be faithful in our church attendance, support of the church and prayerful each day.

Go with God!