A Tribute to My Uncle Bob

The Monday before last, my Uncle Bob fastened his helmet, activated the GPS on his watch and clipped his shoes into the pedals of his bike. It was a normal weekday morning ride, something he did consistently, Monday through Friday, typically logging 10-12 miles through the pine and spruce covered hills of eastern Washington. Unbeknownst to him, this would be his last ride. A young man, on his way home from the night shift, fell asleep at the wheel, striking my uncle at 45 miles per hour. Early the next morning, taken off life support, his heart stopped beating.

Each morning, my uncle wrote in a journal, jotting down what he had read in his Bible and what God was teaching him. The morning of his accident was no different. He sat in his chair, no doubt with a cup of coffee, and read through 1 Samuel 1-3,  journaling while he did so. This portion of scripture records the story of Hannah, a woman in deep pain who chose to trust the Lord despite her inability to understand His ways. In her prayer she says, “The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.” It seems poignant that these were among the last words my uncle read shortly before his own time on earth was over.

My uncle loved music-all different kinds-but particularly worship music. The playlist on his phone showed the last song he had enjoyed that morning: “Forever Reign”. The lyrics go something like this; “You are life, You are life. In You, death has lost its sting. I’m running to your arms, in your presence, I’m made whole.” During the memorial celebration we sang this song together, changing the lyrics to “I’m riding to your arms”. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place as we imagined Bob literally riding to the arms of his Savior.

When tragedy strikes, when something happens that we just cannot comprehend, we as humans have two responses. We either become bitter and angry at the God we cannot understand, or we cling to Him despite our lack of understanding. In the story of Hannah, we see the second response. We see a woman so troubled,  that she wept much before the Lord “in bitterness of soul”, with prayers so fervent that the worshippers among her assumed she was drunk. We see a woman desperate for a miracle; eventually God did give her what she asked. But in the interim (the place where many of us live), she chose to trust the Lord, knowing His ways were higher than hers. She did not mask or deny her anguish, she opened her heart before the Lord, pouring out her pain, her doubt, her confusion and her anger to Him, and trusting Him along the way. Later in life, the Lord brought so much beauty from what she suffered. 

We are suffering. We do not understand. We may never understand this side of heaven. But, we bring our pain to the Lord, knowing that He promises to make beauty from ashes. Knowing that we grieve in hope and with confident expectation of the day we will see Bob again.

“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts 

the needy from the ash heap.” 

1 Samuel 2:8

Enjoying time at the Coeur d'alene Resort

Uncle Bob and me

He loved camping! And Rosie!

Supporting his son, John, during a race

Doing what he loved with his brother-in-law, Jim

Fun times with the grandkids

Bob and Debi

We love you, Uncle Bob.