reflections on my life

The following stuff is what woke me up the other morning.............

When I am gone, tell them these things.

Tell them that the house was decorated with blue and green outdoor lights at Christmas, with one red bulb near the top. Just because life is like that.

Tell them that I was the pied piper of animals. When I went to the basement they would all follow me and pile on in hopes of a good nap. I could scratch a cat and send it to heaven. I will be a cat masseuse in my next life.

Speaking of cats, tell them we had a cat named "the fat one."

Tell them that I loved Anthony Demello stories. In fact tell them one, tell them the one about the ghosts and the medals or the one about the sheeply lion.

Tell them that I loved people. I wanted to love them as God loves them and help them see the joy of being alive.

Tell them I loved softball. Have one of the Armadillos tell about the time I was bracing for a collision at the plate and the runner jumped completely over me and landed with both feet on home plate.

Tell them that I once beat Robin Fisher in bowling.


Tell them that I loved afternoon games at Royals stadium with friends.


Tell them I was a tool guy. I had eight hammers and every variety of tool that God had ever invented.


Tell them that Bruce Letner taught me how to replace disc brake pads on cars and that I got pretty good at it, especially after I bought the special tools.

Tell them that I loved jokes. Bad jokes. Me and Gayle Kelley. Tell them about Paddy O'Furniture and Napoleon's thanksgiving.

Tell them that I loved to paint houses.


Tell them that I loved Kansas City. St. Louis. Chicago. Ft. Lauderdale. San Francisco.


Tell them that I loved the mountains, the beach, palm trees. Swimming pools with fountains. Hot tubs.


Tell them that I loved Rob Bell and Hubert Neth. Tell them that they made me a better man.


Tell them that I loved to help big tough men learn to show the warmth within their hearts.


Tell them that I love a pickup truck and all of the things that you can do with one.

I loved cars. It was a sickness. I would buy and old car and spend a year fixing it up and then would not know what to do with it. I love mustangs and motors and brakes and tires. Body work, oil changes, brake jobs and wiring.


Tell them that I loved music. The Messiah. Fernando Ortega. Old time rock and roll. Bob Seeger, ELO, REO Speedwagon, Pink Floyd, and one we go.


Tell them that I loved trees. Oak, maple, red bud, weeping cherry, japanese maple, ash, aspen pine and more. I love them all.

I love redwood trees. Yosemite. John Muir woods. Henry Cowell Redwoods state park. My soul comes out of my body when I walk among these giants. Scatter my ashes there, I want to be apart of helping these beautiful specimens of the greatness of God grow even taller.

Tell them that I loved to plant stuff. Sedem, tulips, ajuga, english ivy, indian grass, mums, tomato plants, and the list goes on. Tell them that when you plant things and watch things grow, you are participating in the work of God.

Tell them that I loved cable cars, morning fog, highway 1, the old time amusement museum, Scoma's, the golden gate bridge, Alcatraz, Pier 39 and watching the boats on the bay.

Tell them that I loved the wine country, and I didn't even drink the wine. Well I did one time, when I was 17, but that is another story. I love the rolling hills, the beautiful vineyards. The smell of the air in the morning, and being there with Cathy.

Tell them that it was a privilege to be a pastor. To love people and to try to help them come to believe that God loved them.

Tell them that my greatest joy was to see the lights come on in their souls.


Tell them that I learned. I grew. I changed. I wanted to be all that God had called me to be.


Tell them that I had a growing desire to help the poor. To go to the places where people had nothing, and give them food and water. Tell them that God increased the compassion in my heart for those who are the "least of these."

Tell them that I would rather give away that junk than have a garage sale. The joy of giving is worth more than the small amount of money we would make.

Tell them that I so valued my friends. In my early years, friends did not come easily, so I deeply valued each of my friends.

Tell them thank you.


Tell them that I loved your mother.

Tell them that no man was ever more proud of his children.


Tell them that I am not afraid to go to the next life. It is already here, now, all around us. Eternity is just into the next dimension. We will all go there sometime, and I have been privileged to see enough of it in this life, that it is just going to feel like going home, and I assure you, I will be there, waiting for you.


When I am gone, tell them these things.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.