Archive | October, 2018

Today I heard his voice

15 Oct

Today I heard his voice.  As I was walking out of a store and a lady was walking in.  She held her arm up high to shield the sun and remarked “it’s so bright today!!”  I answered “Yes, ma’am!”  And I heard it.

I will admit that I hear his voice and I see him ever so often.  I hear his words come out of my mouth and I do an internal double-take:  Did I REALLY just say that??  I see him, not as much in me as I see him in Drew.  He had this way of crawling into the smallest spaces.  Drew has that way.  And, even though Drew never really got to work with him, he works just like him.  And that makes me proud.

When I hear his voice, I miss him.  And it reminds me that I am living a legacy…  Continuing the work.  My dad will not go down in history as a great theologian, but he lived the love of Christ.  To love God and love others.  He showed it in his own way.  I saw it  And now, my job is to continue to live it.

And, not only to live it, but to teach my children the legacy.  And, perhaps someday, grandchildren.  And maybe one day, decades from now, my children will hear voices, too.  And they will see something around them.  And maybe, perhaps, they will think of me.  If only I can do half of the job that Don Wike did.  I’ll be okay!!!

An Open Letter to my LEO friends

12 Oct

I’ve thought about you and your families so much in the past couple of weeks.  The community of Florence, SC, has been through so much.  We are experiencing something other communities have experienced, but it hurts more for us when it hits close to home.  And it has hit about as close to home as it can …

So, I wanted to share some thoughts with you, my LEO friends.

  1.  YOU ARE LOVED.  I KNOW this to be true in Florence, SC.  Floods come, hurricanes roll through, and now even active shooters do their evil.  And, every time, you run toward the danger.  You stand between the danger and me.  Between the danger and the people you serve and love.  And we love you for it.  We are safe because you are there.  Please don’t ever forget that.
  2. YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE.  In past days, people have asked “HOW COULD SOMEONE?  WHY DO PEOPLE HATE LEOS SO MUCH?”  And I know some of you have questioned if you even make a difference.  YOU DO.  Your presence provides safety.  Your presence STOPS tragedies.  Your presence ENDS violence.  Please don’t ever forget that, because WE WON’T.
  3. WHEN YOU HURT, WE HURT.  At least, those of us who pray fervently for you.  We do not know and cannot conceive of the danger you face.  But, when you hurt, we hurt with you.  And many of us will pray and pray and pray for you.  Please don’t ever forget that.
  4. YOU HELP US SO MUCH, THAT WE WANT TO HELP YOU.  I promise that to be true.  I cannot speak for other towns and cities, but I KNOW Florence, SC, does not take you for granted.  And I pray that we never will.  PLEASE, tell us how to help you and we will do it.  I PROMISE!!  Please REMEMBER that!!!

May God bless you, peacemakers!!!!