Categories: uncategorized
Date: 06 November 2005 22:10:23
Now too the other side of life:
As we were enjoying our early morning cuppa we received a phone call from my sister. It was news that had been expected for quite a long time but, equally, unwanted.
Growing up my sister and I lost our grandparents at an early age. My sister was born after we lost our paternal grandfather and maternal grandmother. Then we lost the others when my sister was 7 or 8.
Next door but one lived a semi-retired pastor and his wife. My sister, being a pushy young thing, introduced herself to him one day while he was cutting the grass. Over the next few months she decided to adopt them as surrogate grandparents.
From there we both started attending the sunday school at their church and then, over the coming years, our entire family became members. The friendship has grown and deepened and they are now regarded as members of the family.
About 18 months ago he became ill with a blood disorder that required chemotherapy. In that time he has become weaker and confined to the house. In the last few months he had to be admitted to hospital on several occasions after incurring "episodes" related to his heart.
Unfortunately, he was too ill and weak to attend our wedding, which was a big disappointment to us all. We had been so busy that we haven't been able to go round to watch the wedding video.
Its now too late. This morning, at 07:20hrs, he passed away in the local hospital. He had been admitted late last week. My sister and I hadn't had chance to visit him. I was hoping to see him before leaving for our weekend away next week.
Everyone who met and knew Hope will have memories of a happy and, a description I hate but specifically applies here, saintly man. He never had a bad word to say about anyone, was always supportive and had many jokes and anecdotes to fit any occasion.
One I'll always remember is from the late 70's/early 80's. At the time Dallas was a huge hit in the UK. Here you need to remember that this was told by a semi-retired Baptist minister who never used bad language.
Hope had a mild Scots accent, its best to imagine him saying this:
"We were in Dallas, in Scotland. as we walked down the street there was a sign in a house window. All it said, in capital letters, was J.R. is a swine!"
Slightly louder, "J.R. is a swine!"
Sligtly louder again, "That's all it said, J.R. is a swine!"
At this point his wife, Mon, would say, "That's enough now dear, I think they understand."
Then, slightly louder, he'd say "That's all. Just, J.R. is a swine!"
He was also the person who encouraged me, as a teenager, when I announced that I wanted to be a misionary and to study Theology and History in Ripon. He told me that the studies were a good idea but that I was maybe a little young and inexperienced to become a missionary. He advised me to learn about life first and then see where my calling would lead.
20 years later, having neither become a missionary, or studied at Uni, he encouraged me even more when I decided to begin preaching. He was very pleased and supportive that I was going to begin a distance learning course with Spurgeons College in London. The wedding may have delayed this but it will happen soon.
I'm glad that he able to hear me preach once at least. He gave me encouragement and said I was on the right path. That meant more to me than anything else.
Hope, you were a great preacher, minister and friend. You will be sadly missed but forever remembered. I'm sure that God has a suitable reward waiting for you and I'm sure that you'll enjoy your new life.
Home at last!