So young, only 1 year older than I and such a bright future. Finished optometry school a number of years ago, a tall funny charming semi-fobby guy; active in his church. Handled the whole ordeal so bravely. I remember some of us had lunch with him a little after he discovered his condition - turns out he was still his own nasty joking self. Like we've heard so often about stories of those gifted with sincere faith, we went to encourage him, but he ended up encouraging us.
Another friend noted this last week, that Jimmy was at peace with whatever was to come for him, but he couldn't contain himself when it came to thinking about the sorrow his family would have to endure. So true. At some point, you accept things for yourself, but you can't do that for others; especially when they love you so much. So much sadness.
But oh what a tremendous difference the truth and hope of God and His Son and of the life hereafter! I can't imagine the despair and finality of enduring the passing of a loved one without the hope of eternal life with our personal, loving God. To know that Jimmy is in the embrace of Jesus and in the company of the saints is such a joyful counter weight to the burden of his loss here. Reminds me of a line from a Sara Groves song "...but I know to be absent in this body, is to be present with the Lord; and from what I know of Him, that must be very good..."
Thinking of Jimmy there in heaven also reminds me of a Rich Mullins song, "Boy like me, Man like you" - I have all these questions I'd want to ask him - "what does Jesus look and sound like?", "what is Peter like?", "what's the party like?", "what was Paul's thorn anyways?"
We'll miss you, buddy; but we'll see you soon. Thank you, Jesus for being his savior and shepherd.
I'll write about the other stuff later. Moving in, learning to feel loved, and a landmark dream...
