The memories are coming fast and thick this week. Tomorrow we say goodbye to good friends. To people who became part of the Hopkins Community Reformed family the same time we did. Friends who encouraged Paul to find a healthier musical outlet by being part of the church band. You will never know how much good you did for him. Music, in so many forms has always been his passion and he finally realized that the rock he loved didn't bring him a joyful life. His addiction made it impossible to chase that dream and still have a functioning family life. Giving that up changed him. For awhile I worried that he wouldn't find something that he could love so well. I hurt for him. Being on that stage, in front of that microphone gave him something. MADE him larger than life,fed him. He could run on that for a month or so and feel good about himself. Then the addiction would take over. And make something rotten out of what should have been a good and health hobby. He didn't know how to keep the music alive in his life without the bar bands.
And then along came Jen. And Staci, and Brittany, and Susan, Tony, Ethan, and Mark. You showed him that Christian music can rock out just as much as what he was playing. With one big difference - the effort put into it was GLORIFYING. Lifting up. Inspiring. Sure, there was room to add his own touches, but it was music for God. And I think when he got that into his head he was finally able to just let go and enjoy it for the sake of the music. Not because he was needing the feed from the crowd or the glory for himself.
He WILL be with us tomorrow. Singing long and loud right along with all of us , from heaven. I hear him in my head so much of the time when the band plays anyway. I have absolutely no doubt he's gonna be right there with us. So when I break down in tears and can't go on, it's so not because I'm sad. It's because I'm imagining the GLORIFYING going on right along with us.
Because HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!!!! Sing with me, for all to hear HOW GREAT, HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD....
