I’m remembering your face

That last night we spoke

Your ready smile

Kind blue eyes and stark white hair

Your ever present welcome

To one and all

Mostly all…

---

I’m remembering you at peace in that old recliner

Surrounded by those you loved

Photos spilled from your walls

Many now faded 

Of weddings, reunions, gatherings

The more the merrier 

A family ever expanding 

Your greatest joy

And sometimes sorrow

Those same faces now filled the room

Knowing your time was soon

And every moment seemed to count

Now more than ever

You kissed me when I left

And I know now it was your goodbye

Your bags were packed 

But we had time at the station to farewell you

To linger and listen to you one last time

---

I’m remembering your deep love for ‘the north west’

For mangoes and paw paw

The piercing Pilbara heat

Or the withering Kimberley sun

Was like a welcome mat for you

‘We saw that we were running a Bible college up there’

You’d say again and again (and again)

And you recalled with great fondness

Those people and places where you felt ‘privileged to serve’

And to spend the best years of your life

Those same years 

Now remembered by many

As the best years of their lives

---

I’m remembering your warm words 

Snug like a woollen blanket 

Many a young pastor felt encouraged 

By your genuine and frequent affirmations

Your curiosity at contentious ideas

Your willingness to learn, think, question, change

And sometimes challenge and rebuke 

But by then we knew you loved us

You were not out to fix us

Because you were older and knew better

There is One who fixes

And you were happy to trust Him

---

I’m remembering your love for all

But especially the underdog

With you around the disabled were never an inconvenience 

The asylum seeker was never an ‘illegal’

They weren’t friends even…

They were family (and they knew it)

Your love was fierce

Your call for justice, constant

You saw the lost and lonely

You invited them into your life

Without fear or qualification

---

I’m remembering you ever wondering if ‘that was the Lord?’

You carried a deep awareness of God holding everything together

Somehow dovetailing both local and cosmic events 

To create sense of this world

And if we couldn’t make sense

Then He could

And that was all you needed

I couldn’t share your supreme confidence 

My ever skeptical mind had way too many questions

But when Jesus spoke of childlike faith

I wonder if it was you he had in mind?

---

I’m remembering your advice to a young pastor

Seeking to live as a missionary 

Wanting to change the world 

With innovation, creativity and endless reserves of energy

I asked what you would do

If you were me…

Entering a new community…

Seeking to be the presence of Jesus?…

You pondered briefly then

Gave a bewildering response

‘I’d just live my ordinary life’

I was underwhelmed and bemused 

A little sad that you had so little insight

But twenty years later

Those words have become rich with meaning

Pregnant with wisdom

A light to the path of anyone who will listen

If an ‘ordinary life’ firmly earthed in Jesus isn’t enough

Then something is wrong

---

I’m remembering your prayers for us

We basked in this knowledge

At least one person was always with us

Speaking on our behalf

Early every morning remembering us by name to the Father

Although we disappointed you 

At times made fun of you

And complained to one another about you

You loved us

And you prayed for us

You prayed and prayed and prayed

We will never know the outcome of those prayers

Or what is now missed because you are gone

But we will be forever grateful for those prayers

---

I’m remembering those many weeks in hospital

The constant wondering 

Waiting

Hoping

Sensing

Then slowly realising

You aren’t coming out…

Except to sit in your garden one last time

With frangipani and wren 

The waft of the sea breeze coming up from the river

And the warmth of the summer sun

As Peter brought you a cup of tea

---

I’m remembering the way you taught us how to die

Utterly fearless 

Curiously inspiring

We watched as you showed us

Faith with substance 

Sadness mixed with joy

‘Ive had a good life’

Understated and peaceful

Yet electric with anticipation

Of being face to face

With the One you loved 

To know fully 

Even as you are fully known

Resurrection awaits

But first there must be death

Our shared hope triumphs over the tears

And we remember you