February 14 – “Exhilarating and exhausting”

Happy Valentine's Day, Chris.  I love you.   I reflected on this past weekend's experience after we got home last night.  It was one of the most exhausting, yet exhilarating experiences I have had in a long time.    The exhausting part was easy to understand, I think.  The five hour drive to Fort Worth, followed by checking into the seminary hotel.  Any stay in an unfamiliar place automatically lowers the comfort level somewhat.  I must say that the seminary's hotel rooms were very nice, though.  We got a kick out of their "breakfast basket" on Saturday.  It contained a chocolate chocolate chip muffin,  a blueberry muffin, a carton of Golden Grahams, a carton of Cocoa Puffs, a little orange, and a little apple.  There were also two cartons of milk and orange juice in the fridge.  We ate the fruit and drank the juice.  I think they forgot we were there on Sunday, though.  No breakfast basket.  So we loaded up one of those hotel carts and took our luggage to the car.  When I tried to put the cart back, I couldn't even get inside.  The doors had all locked behind us.  And there was no one anywhere in sight.  Not at the front desk.  Not anywhere.  I left it in front of one of the doors.   Back to the tough part, though, it's never easy to spend time with a grieving family.  The day before the service we didn't do much more than hang out with them and make a trip to the church, but it did give Matt's Dad a chance to talk through some of his feelings.  I think Chris had a chance to talk to his Mom as well.  It was kind of awkward when we went by to see Matt's wife.  Her family and friends were there for her, but I needed to see if there was anything in particular she wanted me to include in the service.  She and Matt's brother were the only ones there I had ever met.  Then there was the tension involved with the clash of cultures at the service.  There was no doubt about the differences among the people there, ranging from the seminary staff and traditional church goers to the alternative lifestyle friends that Matt had.  I think each side expected more to happen that would ever have been possible.   On the other hand, the experience was exhilarating as well.  We considered Matt to be one of our kids, and there was no doubt that I was proud of him as we listened to the impact he had had on the lives of the people there.  I was proud of his brother, too, for the maturity and calming influence he showed while being the intermediary between cultures.  It is always a rush to see people you haven't seen in 20 years, and that was certainly the case with Andy and Beth and R.G. and Carlita.    Psalms 145:3 says, "Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom."   Father, be close to every one of us involved in this weekend experience.  Touch the family especially after everything gets quiet in the days to come.  Amen.