This week’s Rumblings is going to be short. I have been trying to write ever since Monday evening, and now it’s Wednesday night and my emotions have made it impossible for me to get much going. But I do have some thoughts to share with you.
On Saturday morning, while driving with a load of heifer calves toward San Angelo, I got a phone call telling me that a friend of mine had been hit by a car and killed earlier that morning while she was jogging here in San Angelo. I drove directly to her house, where I found police chaplains ministering to her husband in the front yard.
Through his tears, he said to me, “David, I haven’t told my children yet. They just know she was in an accident.” So I went with my friend into the master bedroom, prayed with him, and then listened to him tell his 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter that their mother is dead.
TBC family, I have never ever been through anything like this before. But I know some of you have experienced similar circumstances, and some of you pastors have had to do what I did. On Sunday afternoon, I wrote her obituary and carried it to the newspaper office. As you might imagine, I have been emotionally drained ever since.
This couple was relatively new to San Angelo, so the funeral and burial are in Kansas, and I won’t be able to attend. But I know that my friend will need my support and that of many others in the days ahead.
So I write this week’s Rumblings to encourage all of you to be kind to each other and to treasure your family and friends. I am so tired of seeing and hearing so much anger in our country, whether in the heat of political campaigns . . . or in our churches, usually over trivial matters . . . or in our families, usually over things that – when you reflect on them – really aren’t all that important. Certainly not as important as our relationships. What matters is that we value each other and the time we have together. After all, we can lose our loved ones in a heartbeat. So we shouldn’t waste a minute that we have with each other.
Well, we are less than 3 weeks away from the Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. I urge you to take this opportunity to come to Fort Worth on November 10-11 and celebrate our freedom as Texas Baptists. While you’re there, please plan to attend our annual TBC Breakfast at the BGCT – at 7 a.m., Tuesday, November 11. I’m anxious for you to hear our speaker – Randel Everett, BGCT executive director. I urge you to pray for Randel every day.
We have so much for which we can be grateful as Texas Baptists. My hope is that we will all come together as a family – a Texas Baptist family, committed to loving each other, building each other up, and serving Christ together as free and faithful Baptists.
We already have over 200 reservations for our annual TBC Breakfast at the BGCT. But we have room for many more – and I would love to see you there. Please make your reservation(s) today by emailing carolscott@txbc.org or calling 325-659-4102.
Now please go hug your spouse, your kids, your mom and dad, your brothers and sisters, and whoever else is important to you – and tell them you love them. Today and every day.