Pastor's Blog
Marj Posted 5.31.2009This week I lost another of my “moms” from childhood. Only a couple of you know her, so I won’t belabor the details. What I really want to do is encourage you to invest your life in someone else. I’ve lost another fan, faithful friend, and prayer warrior. The real question is, however, who is counting me as their fan, friend, and prayer warrior?
Marj McFeely went to glory this past week. And that means nothing to most of you. But it does to me. Marj was one of my early Sunday School teachers. I remember as if it were yesterday, sitting in a room that was designed to be a restroom (but the plumbing was never installed) and learning Bible stories. No videos, by the way. No fancy crafts or games. Just someone who loved Jesus and me. Marj (Mrs. McFeely back then!) and I would often be alone (because my magnetic personality was not drawing a crowd back in those days) and learn of Jesus. She invested in me and I was never the same.
Over the years, Marj also taught me the joy of collecting stamps. She would help me with my small collection and I would marvel at her vast knowledge and tender care for her unending collection. Then Marj taught me the wonder of travel. As a college student a friend and I went to Europe for a month. We spent hours at Marj’s house as she painstakingly told us where to go and how to get there.
And later Marj taught me to love Israel and archeology. She went with me three times to Israel. I never take off for Tel Aviv without my thoughts going to Marj and how much she would love to be on that plane with me. Marj never read an article she did remember. Marj never went on a trip she didn’t enjoy. And to travel with her was a privilege I’ll never forget, even though on one trip she caught whooping cough on the plane.
I’ve had many “moms” from childhood. The hardest part about the passing of time is watching them one by one slip from here to heaven. But I never look at a stamp or walk in Jerusalem or think of my childhood faith without a nod to Marj. And now she’s gone.
So today – do you come ready to invest your life in someone else as we gather as His church? Are today’s children going to have a “Marj” in their life that they may trace their own faithfulness to Jesus through our faithfulness to Jesus? I hope so. But of course, it all begins with a heart that is willing to invest in someone else.
Marj invested in me. So the burden now lies with me. In whom will I invest? And what about you? Who is following in your footsteps? For whom are you a fan, friend, and prayer warrior? Life’s too short to invest in anything else. I know.
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