tribute

my friend turned 33 several days ago. he and his wife are two of my greatest mentors, role models, family members (by GracE), and friends. i am honored to know them.

they have been serving in the beautiful country of Japan since ... 2006 (or 2005?).
before that, they studied and prayed and lived at Gordon-Conwell, faithfully working and preparing towards the day God would finally send them over.

when they left california for the cold, but beautiful, climate and landscape of new england, these words came to mind. i scribbled them down 6 years ago, in memory of the ryus.

"I wanted to write you a poem or a song.
Something to commemorate the time I’d spent
With you.
Something that I could remember you by.
But nothing came.

The blank page in my thoughts has become
A blank sheet of paper in front of me
The ways in which God has worked in you
Could never be put into words
And I wouldn’t even try
Or dare to try.

I’ll just keep my memories of you
Inside myself.
Take them out once in awhile to look at
To gloat over
To ponder upon

And I hope you will too."

(Written 7/24/01)