A Life Well Lived

It is quite ironic that when my parents and I travelled home to Lake Havasu City, AZ (where I grew up) we were able to spend some time with Lew and Ruth Crosby.  They have both been in the church since it began many moons ago and Lew told us that he was now the oldest man in the whole town.  105 years old is quite remarkable, especially considering that he was still able to pay his own bills, write his own checks, take complete care of himself in terms of personal hygiene, dress himself, feed himself and his mind was still so sharp. 

I think Lew and Ruth’s wedding was the last one my dad did in Lake Havasu before God called him to pastor a church in Hemet, CA.  Lew had been married to his previous wife for 60 years before she passed away and Ruth had also been widowed.   I think he was 88 when they got married.  I bet my didn’t imagine they would have such a happy blissful 17 years of marriage. 

Lew and Ruth have faithfully supported me financially every month since I left for Kenya 9 years ago.  And I know they have been even more faithful in their prayers for me.  They came to church on November 11 and I was able to help Lew from the vehicle to the back pew on the left side so that they could hear me share about the work that God is doing in Kenya through the support of people like them.  I had also discovered that they were next door neighbors with my best friend from high school, Jessica.   Jessica, Jeremy and their two young girls had just moved in a few weeks before.  I was able to introduce them to their neighbors after church. 

In the time that we had known him he was the finance chairman for most of the time my dad pastored Lake Havasu Baptist, he served on the building committee in our 2^nd year there (1984) when the new sanctuary was constructed, he was active in the town with civic organizations.  He was a pilot who owned his own plane during his younger years and had his own electrical business in Melrose, MS until his retirement when he moved to Lake Havasu in 1971.  They say the warm weather and dry atmosphere is good for older people and I guess they must be right because he lived for 41 more years after retirement, longer than I have been alive! 

He finally passed away on November 18^that 4:59 pm, exactly 1 week after I shared at Lake Havasu Baptist.  I am thankful that I was able to see him one more time before he passed away and that he was able to see and hear how God was working through his generosity.