Tribute to a Friend

Dear All,
A friend of mine has passed away.  Though I haven't seen him in awhile, all of a sudden there is an ache in my heart where he held his place.  Mike O'Rear, he was the man that married my parents and is very near their age. He was the man that not until 20 years after he married them informed my parents that he was in fact a democrat.  Oh the laughter and political discussions we had around my parents' dining room table.  I can still here his laugh.  Mike taught me a lot about learning to respect a person in spite of political disagreement, which is easier said than done for me.  :-)  I hold my political beliefs very dear to my heart, but he helped me learn that having Christ as Lord of your life is way more important than who is President of your country.  Mind you I still value my political beliefs, but they definitely took a couple steps down in the priority ladder.  I will definitely miss my friend, but I hope that all of you along with me will say a prayer for his family and company.  They will sorely miss him in spite of the realization that he is now with his Lord and Savior.  "I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.  Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them"  ~Ecclesiastes 9:11-12~
Love to you all,
The Adventurous Farm Wife