Renate's Reflections

     Recently, I attended a memorial service for a long-time member of my church. I also attended the wedding of a family member. Both events took place the same day which could seem odd as it rarely happens. David left behind a legacy of faithfulness to the Lord and the Gospel. You could say he died with his boots on. Blake and Leah said their vows promising faithfulness to each other. You could say they were putting their boots on. Then, I realized we were celebrating life in both cases. I first heard about David when I was a new attendee at Grace. The congregation was fervently praying for his wife, Debbie, who was battling leukemia. She passed away shortly after. What I didn’t know at the time was David had been suffering from pancreatic cancer for several years. He had defied the odds.  I got to know David better when he became a member of the care group that meets at our house. His compassion for others was clear and he was fiercely independent. When we started the grief supp

          Just a few years ago my high school, John F. Kennedy High School in Taylor Michigan, was closed -- permanently. Last year it was torn down to allow the city to build one central school for the area. I've seen pictures of the rubble and my heart hurts a little bit. A few of my classmates were able to find something in the piles of concrete and bricks to take home with them -- a little reminder of the big memories. Then yesterday I saw the announcement the college I attended, Clarks Summit University (formerly Baptist Bible College), is closing its doors. Jackson Hall with its long, cobbled hallways, worn down by years of foot traffic will gather dust. The bell tower that chimed every quarter hour and played hymns and Christmas carols will be silenced. The rotunda where the choir gathered to sing just before leaving for Spring Tour won't echo voices anymore. And the library which was housed in the monastic chapel in my day, won't amplify the whispers of students c