A Town in Mourning: Loss of a Local Icon

I live in a small town on the outskirts of a major city. This small town like many small towns was at one time proudly independent. It was suburban in the way it was run by local officials. The local officials were involved in every aspect of the town making sure everything ran smoothly. They cared about their citizens and always tried to meet their needs. They stood up when evil forces tried to ruin the town. They had a good strong police force and reliable fire departments to help citizens and the surrounding communities.

The mayor of these small towns is considered the "backbone" of the town providing support and encouraging growth. Mayor Frank Kelly definitely filed the role. He provided support and encouraged growth. He also was a champion of historical preservation until fairly recently. He saved the former Collingdale High School building from demolition in 1986. He encouraged the establishment of the Collingdale High School Alumni Association by providing them with a room to store all the treasures of Collingdale in what is now known as the Alumni room.

The very recent loss of Mayor Kelly will leave a gap in the administration that will be hard to replace. There will be some radical changes, some will be very hard to take even though the town has been fading away for a little while. Some will blame this fading away on "white flight".  Collingdale was at one time in the 1960s about 80 percent white with about 20 percent black. Today the percentage is almost, but not quite the reverse. I would say around 70 percent black and 30 percent white. Some will blame the fading away on the economy. Yes, the economy does play a big factor in this. Yet I do see the biggest change in the administrating being the fact that globalization has effectively wiped out the pride of small towns and made them ineffective.

Being Thankful in The Midst of Pain and Sorrow

This Thursday Americans like myself will be celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends. This year will be very different for me and my family though. We will be missing our mother and father. It really hasn't sunk in that I won't ever see their faces again in this life. I keep thinking that one day I'll see them again here on Earth. It's silly. They aren't coming back.

People mean well. They all say that they are in a better place. I should be thankful, but it still hurts. I can't help thinking about how really quick it was. Was it only this time last year that my father felt well enough to eat Thanksgiving dinner? I can still see him struggling though to swallow even then. I really can't recall that last real meal that he enjoyed. I know that Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday.

My mom wasn't a turkey fan. She loved pecan pie though. I made it for her every year until she couldn't eat it anymore due to her teeth. I didn't make it last year, but I did make pumpkin pie. I will miss her sweet potato casserole with the marshmallows. I know my niece will miss the green bean casserole she used to make.

I am finding it hard to be thankful right now. The pain is overwhelming as I try to process that my grandmother, mother, and father are now all gone. Everything is changing as the traditions I cherished are dissolving like snow. Lord, please help me through this veil of tears. Rid me of the feeling of being all alone. I am not alone. You are with me, Lord.

The Sufferer's Holiday-Surviving the Pain and Loss

It wasn't that long ago that my parents were relatively healthy. I can still recall the last time my father stood in front of me and hugged me. I didn't know at the time that it would be the last time. My father wasn't a demonstrative man. He didn't hug excessively. I can also recall a time before my mother broke her hip when she actively participated in life with her baking.

I will miss them. The holidays will be tough without them. I heard it said that this time of year is the sufferer's holiday. I'm not sure if I agree or not. I know that I'm not looking forward to Christmas this year. If I were honest with myself, I'd have to admit that Christmas hasn't been a good holiday for me since my grandmother died in 2001. She died right before Christmas which really put a damper on the holiday for me.

I have survived the pain and loss then. At least I like to think that I've survived. My parents' deaths though have opened that wound. I feel the despair and wonder if I'll make it through. Everyone is telling me that I really need to take care of myself. It is very hard. I do feel like I've been torn in two. This past week it was finally settled that I would take over Mom's estate. It felt final. There was no going back.

I remember how God grieves for me. I ask myself why he should care. Then I remember the redemption story how he came to Earth to die for my sins. Jesus is acquainted with suffering. He feels our pain. That is a great comfort to me. He is no faceless god but a true living God. Thank you, Lord, for your remarkable gift.

The Importance of Church and Being with Your Church Family

This has been percolating in the back of my mind for a while now. It came to the forefront when I was confronted by a member of my family while on a few days vacation. She wondered why I kept insisting on going to church. She couldn't understand why it was important to me that I attend church. At the time I really couldn't explain the urge to be in God's house or why I felt drained when I couldn't go.

She came up with two excuses about why she and the other members of the family don't attend church while on vacation. Both excuses really didn't address the real reasons for not attending church. Instead, the excuses made me sad. I couldn't help but think that many people give the same excuses for not attending. I do think that there has to be a very good reason why you can't attend church to skip it. Maybe I am old school here, but it has been drilled in me that I need to be in God's house on Sunday morning. The only good reason for not being there is that you are very ill. Yet I did find myself missing church because there was no church in walking distance from where I was staying. It did frustrate me but also drove home a point.

Why is going to church important? Is it to fellowship with other believers? Yes. Having fellowship with believers is an important component to growth. It is not the only thing and shouldn't be the first thing. I know that some people believe that church can go on anywhere. They like to quote the bible verse that says when two or more people meet that Jesus is in the midst of them. Yes, Jesus resides in the heart of believers. The problem is that there is a lack of discipline with this type of thinking. People that only depend on what they hear from random sources often lack direction.

A local Bible-believing church is a precious commodity. It provides an anchor in the midst of life's storms. You may see it as only a church building but it is so much more. Your local church provides concrete support in many ways. A good church establishes itself as part of the community at large and has many opportunities for its members to show Christ's love to others. It creates a stable environment where you can get close and learn more about Jesus. That knowledge is why I choose to attend church every Sunday. I long to get close and learn more about my Lord and Savior.

It does sadden me to see so many churches closing their doors. Their ministry has weakened and they lost their "saltiness" to the world. I strive in my own way to embrace the local church and support its ministry.