David is a great kid.
His little brother has been one of my son’s closest friends since 5th grade.
At Christmas break, David came home from college, and one of the things he did was spend mega-amounts of time with the boys as they re-produced and re-shot a film from the previous year’s film festival at their school.
David is a broadcast journalism student.
David is a great kid who loves God.
You don’t have to be around him for very long, before you realize this.
David is a talented actor – if he combined his journalism skills with his stage presence he would make a great weatherman. The camera loves him.
David gets along great with parents, and he gets along great with kids.
And he is genuine.
It was interesting, observing him as he worked with the boys re-shooting their crime drama. He took direction from the teen Director, but he very subtly guided as well…fostering a group participation attitude, and inspired the boys with his enthusiasm.
David spent Memorial Day weekend at Lake Shasta – a well known party place.
House boats are usually rented by huge groups. It is not uncommon to see multiple house boats tied together, and friends jump from boat to boat and spend the weekend swimming and generally having a great time.
Lake Shasta also has a dark reputation.
It is known for claiming the lives of the youthful who party or who, while basking in the joys of the summer’s first warming sun, forget they are mortal, loosing any good judgement they have.
David simply hopped a boat, and he missed.
He hit his head on the side.
David is gone.
In the blink of an eye.
In the span of a moment’s time, a happy guy with star potential, lost contact with the earthly tent he dwelled in, and is now at home with the Heavenly Father he loves.
Such a bright light is gone from us for a time.
How much brighter shines heaven today.
So David,
You are such a knucklehead!
And dang! You are missed boy!
May God be with your family and friends, who know beyond doubt where you are tonight, but who are flailing in the huge gap that your departure has left.
David
March 15 1984 - May 29 2005
JUNE 1st ADDITION:
I was driving in to work this morning, and a song struck me in the head.
It was one from church and I got to thinking, after it swirled around namelessly and wordlessly in my head for about 10 minutes, that there were words in this song that had significance to what David's family and what the rest of us are processing.
The song talks about rendering thankfulness to God no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.
"...blessed be Your Name,
On the road filled with suffering,
Though there's pain in the offering,
Blessed be Your Name!"
It is not an act of happiness all the time to give thanks to God, but we are commanded to do it (especially when we don't feel like it) and it often yields a very strange result:
One is often encouraged by verbalizing thankfulness to God when one is in the darkest of places.
It is like lighting a candle and warmth slowly comes afterward.
No comments:
Post a Comment