Day: March 26, 2012

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A Much Better Place

This morning I asked a friend of mine to write an editorial for one of our sisters here at church who passed away this morning.  She was 93 years old and has touched thousands of lives with her smile, her peaceful demeanor and her pen.  My friend (Mike Fairchild) wrote the following memorial:

“This morning my good friend and sister in Christ, Hattie Dumerauf, passed from this life.  Her passing, while sad for those of us left behind, has allowed her to reach her ultimate goal of spending eternity with God.  Hattie is in a much better place.

Little was I to know that over nine years ago a phone call from Dub Harrison, a former Waterview minister, would change my life forever.  He asked me if I would consider picking up a lady on my way to church Sunday morning.  She had recently moved to Richardson, Texas from Davenport, Iowa and wanted to attend services at Waterview Church of Christ.  That first Sunday I drove up, and there was Hattie waiting for me on the front porch with a big smile on her face.  That exact scene was duplicated hundreds of times over the years.  Her big smile and a wave greeted me every Sunday morning…rain or shine.

Our trips down Waterview Drive on Sunday mornings were always filled with conversations about the beautiful trees and flowers that we would see.  Hattie would say that they are gifts from God and how thankful we should be for them.  She loved to watch the squirrels play and listen to the birds singing.  All part of God’s creation.  She loved to talk about how she had been so blessed over the years and how much she looked forward to church on Sunday morning.  She couldn’t wait to see the ‘smile greeters’, as she named them, when we would drive up to the building.  As we would drive home after services, she always talked about Waterview and that we have the nicest, most caring church members she had ever know.

Every Sunday she would pass out her words of encouragement* that she had written the previous week.  She touched so many lives with her written word.  She told me that she wasn’t able to do much, but she felt that her writing was her ministry.  I have hundreds of her notes and will cherish them for the rest of my life.

To sum up my time with Hattie over the years, I would say she had a life well lived, full of the Spirit of God.  I have never known a more Godly woman who cared so much for others.  When I look to my left during church next Sunday, there will be an empty space next to me where Hattie always sat.  But I know she will be looking down and enjoying the service as she did throughout her life.

My Sunday mornings were blessed by my time with Hattie and I will miss her so much… until we meet again.”

Mike Fairchild
Waterview Church of Christ
Richardson, Texas

*Some of these ‘words of encouragement‘ will be posted here during the next few weeks.

 

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Hear Me When I Call…

This morning a friend of mine passed away.  He had lived a long life, but unfortunately had struggled much during these last few months and years.  Without a doubt this gentlemen was an inspiration to me, and not to me alone.  His faithful spirit and gentle demeanor served as an encouragement to all you had the privilege of knowing him.  When I heard of his passing this morning, I cried.  Not because I grieved for his soul, or was unsure of his relationship with God; the tears came because I wasn’t ready to say ‘good bye’.  There were still things I wanted to say to him and memories I wanted to share, but during the early hours on Sunday morning (March 25th), in the warm embrace of his family he slipped away to be with his Father.  Perhaps it’s fitting that he died on a Sunday morning…certainly in time to worship around the Father’s throne.

It’s never easy to say good bye to those you care about; whether it’s the end of a family vacation and everyone has headed home, or if it’s the passing of a loved one who held a special place in your heart.  I guess you’d say I’m a bit sentimental, so ‘Good Byes’ have never easy for me.  And because of my sentimental nature, there are some songs that mean more to me as we consider the message (the words).  A song tends to reach into my heart in a way that the spoken word can’t.  I don’t think it’s the melody alone, but the melody coupled with the words that impacts my emotions like nothing else.  My friend had a favorite songs that was written in the early 1960’s and (though I’ve only come to know it recently), it has since become one of my favorites as well.  Written by Tillit S. Teddlie in 1962, this old hymn is sung as we speak to God asking that He hear us during times of distress and sorrow.  Notice these four verses…

“Hear me when I call, O God, my righteousness;
Unto Thee I come in weakness and distress.
Hold my trembling hand, lest helpless I should fall;
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call.”

“Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer;
More and more I need Thy mercy and Thy care.
Clouds of doubt arise and faith grows weak and small;
O hear me, Lord hear me, O hear me when I call.”

“Hear my voice, O God, and cleanse my soul within;
Mercy doth I need for all my doubts and sin.
Only in Thy grace I trust my all in all;
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call.”

“Hear my prayer, O God, I need Thy cleansing power;
Let me feel Thee near each moment of each hour.
Hold my trembling hand, lest helpless I should fall;
O hear me, Lord hear me, O hear me when I call.”

It’s important for me to take this time today and reflect on the impact and friendship I shared with a brother who has gone on.  His smile and kind heart will remain in my memory for years to come.  He has inspired me to be more like Christ; never looking out for his own interest, but always for the interest of others.  The book of this man’s life has come to a close and the final chapter has been written.  He will be missed here on earth, but I know we’ll meet again, because our God does indeed ‘hear us when we call.’  Fred Epps, thank you for the lessons in life that you taught me through your beautiful, Christian example.  And thank you for showing me the kindness of your heart.  You were a wonderful and dear friend!

“Lord hear me, O hear me, Please hear me when I call…”