A Saint Has Traveled Home!

I come to you today with a heavy heart. As I was driving up to the park today to go walking (since I have no cell phone service where I live), my phone starts going off with text messages. Most days, I'm excited to get text messages, but today, I received one of sadness. It was from my friend, Dayna, letting me know that one of our dearest Elders from back home in Illinois, had passed away Friday morning. He was 84 years old, and suffered from cancer. To many of you reading this, the name Murrel Kelley won't mean much. But to those of us who knew him, I think I can speak for all of us, we were blessed by knowing him. Dayna and I grew up together at the Fairfield Church of Christ, and I'm sure she will agree with everything I'm about to write about Murrel. Our church was small, so we only had 3 Elders, and they are all wonderful men, but Murrel is the one that always stood out in my mind. He was "the greeter". :-) He would make sure to shake EVERYONES hand, and I mean EVERYONES, when they entered the building, and when they left for the day. No matter what, you were sure to see Murrel coming around to greet you. You always knew when he wasn't there because you missed that radiant smile of his, and his handshake. There is no doubt in my mind that Murrel is celebrating right now in Heaven, along with his wonderful son, Kevin who passed away a couple of years ago from liver failure at age 49. Another wonderful guy who we all love and miss! My heart goes out to the Kelley family at this time, and I hope they know how much of an influence they have been to me since I was a child! It's times like this that I REALLY miss being home to say "goodbye" to friends and loved ones. As I was looking through the obituaries to find Murrel's online on our local radio station site, the one right before his caught my eye. A former high school classmate of mine has passed as well. It's a real wake up call when you read "35 year old Chris Cariens...". It's like THAT'S MY AGE!! I don't know the circumstance of that situation, and I didn't know Chris very well at all, but I DO know one thing. We are just not here on this earth long at all, and we need to live each day as if it's our last because we NEVER know. James 4:13-14 (NIV) pretty much sum up life, and I leave you with these scriptures: "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." That is life, my friends...we are a "mist", and nothing here matters. Think about it, and think about how people will remember you after you have died. Are you doing good things that people will remember you for? Living for the Lord, and influencing others is ALL that matters! I know Murrel lived this life, and I know we all will remember him fondly!! Have a blessed day!