Learning through Death, Eternal thinking from South Dakota, Arkansas, Minnesota and New Mexico

Dear Family of our Lord Jesus Christ:

I talked to my cousin Darry Hanson late yesterday afternoon, who now lives in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Darry has brain cancer and they found another tumor last week. Doctor’s tell him he has 3 to 4 months. We had a great talk, memories of growing up together in Windom, Minnesota. We are the same age. Darry treasures each day, one at a time, spends much time in prayer. He taught me much in our phone conversation about life and death. I know he would appreciate your prayers. We are praying for healing! in Jesus name, Amen! In this talk Darry taught me much about life and death. Darry and I are the same age, going on 58, class of 1974 Windom, Minnesota. He left school early to join the U.S. Air Force as a Medic. Darry hit some hard bumps along the journey of life, like all of us, but he is stronger because of them. Darry is looking death right in the eye, he is prepared for heaven when the Lord call’s him home. Darry’s Dad’s name is Duane, like mine, but my name is spelled Dwayne, back home folks turned Duane it into Dewey and they did the same to my name! This past weekend I got a letter from Pam Nagorske, whose husband Lynn passed away several months ago. I wrote about that here on the CUP. Lynn was also a classmate of mine and Darry’s. Before Lynn passed away he told me, “Keep doing what your doing” Pam stated in her letter the same message, “I pray you will carry on with what you have been doing” I got a letter from my cousin Barb Caraway Nelson this past week, Barb’s 25 year old daughter Tiffany was killed in a motorcycle accident in August. Barb included letters that were read at Tiffany’s funeral, a tremendous testimony of her life.

Are we all prepared for heaven? Have we forgiven those that we need to?

I share all this with you this morning as to remind us all that we are just one last breath away from heaven.This may be far from what you want to hear this morning……..But Darry is looking death right in the eye, a new tumor growth, Lynn suffered through cancer until his last breath, Tiffany was out for a motorcycle ride until her last breath. The last thing Tiffany did before the crash that took her life, she turned around and gave her sister Rene the peace sign. Tiffany was the passenger on a motorcycle and her sister was on a motorcycle behind her.

All this has impacted my life for Jesus, to continue to share the good news of Jesus, to live a better life, to show God’s grace to all. To shed His light to one person at a time. To be so sensitive to the needs of others. To know and share that most of us taste the pit of hell during our life’s journey, but when we come to the end we meet Jesus, if we make that decision we must all make.

It is an extreme Godly honor to share with you all each day. To share the love of our Lord. From Darry Hanson, Lynn Nagorske, and Tiffany Nelson who I have learned much from. Darry has spent most of his life on water…..as a guide….teaching others how to fish or guiding them……he tell’s me the biggest thrill for him is teaching children how to fish, Lynn Nagorske was a banker in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area and he helped so many people, from the big guy’s to the little guy’s, Lynn was known as a person who cared for everyone and gave much! He was the banker everyone dreams of!!! Tiffany was studying to be a nurse, she just plain loved life and people. It was shared at her funeral that she lived boldly in sharing that love. I pray that is said of me at my funeral.

As I close today I share with you a email that Pastor Wrenn, who did Tiffany’s funeral, received …..this is just a portion of the letter that was emailed to Pastor Wrenn: This man was at the scene of the tragic accident that claimed Tiffany’s life and he is trained in medical services, he did what he could at the scene. He wrote to the Pastor….. I thought perhaps you could help me tell the family if the time is ever right, I am so sorry for their loss. I was hoping you could let them know that there are those in our community that are thinking of them in their time of sorrow because I hope knowing that might help comfort them, if only a little. I will always think of Tiffany when I pass that intersection (where the fatal accident occurred) each year the motorcycle rally comes to town, each time my children drive away, each time I pass by Windom on I-90, and each time I retrain for events I hope never happen.

Peace be with you, Tiffany’s family, and with Windom.
Michael Engelhart
Custer, SD

What a touching note, what an expression of love, this is a prime example of the Body of Christ coming together in love, from Custer, SD to Windom, Minn. This man took the time to locate the Church and Pastor and the Pastor’s email. This is what I call eternal thinking.

Let us all think ETERNALLY

The Lord leads me as I write this CUP each day, sometimes He awakes me in the middle of the night, sometimes He gives me dreams, He has stirred me to write this for weeks on death and eternal thinking.

As I write this my Dear friend Rick Stambaugh is receiving treatment for stage 4 cancer. Saw Rick the other day at church, he is a shining light for Jesus Christ, he is prepared for heaven if the Lord calls Him home. I have learned much from Rick.

What is the main thing I have learned from Darry, Lynn, Tiffany and Rick? To think eternally. Heaven is a prepared place, be prepared. Love like Jesus, be Christ like in all that we do. Share the love of Jesus with everyone, be prepared for your last breath.

We can learn much from each other, if we open up our heart, mind and soul.

I close with this………..From Pastor Tim Wren of the American Lutheran Church Windom, Minnesota at Tiffany’s funeral:

So where do we go with all this pain, loss and struggle? it is easy for us to sink into a hole of pain and struggle. We can find ourselves dealing with grief that we are not sure how to work through, and I want to encourage all of you to find a place and a person that you can talk about grief, because we need to share what is inside us. We go to the place that we know there is comfort and peace, we find ourselves before God. Struggling with a concept that we try to put out of our minds but something that we all will face for ourselves.We are able to know and put our faith in this fact that Christ has conquered death and the power that death has over us through the cross and resurrection.

Let us share this message with all those we encounter.

Heaven is a prepared place, are you and I prepared for Heaven?

Think ETERNALLY

For God’s Glory Al;one in the Love of our Lord Jesus Christ, Dewey Sharon and Family

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