Mathew 4:19 And he saith unto them, follow
me, and I will make you fishers of men.
~Life is a fragile balance
My address for a friend at his
memorial service:
Normally I speak to groups of
people under different circumstances about changing life directions and putting
twelve steps to work with a little help from a Higher Power. It's difficult
when your friends leave for the ultimate fishing adventure without you and ole
Shawn is probably at the biggest heavenly lake with a mutual friend Henry
reeling in the big one. Many of the people in Shawn's life have known him since
he was born but I have to feel he and I knew each other long before that. My
wife and I moved to Vernal a few years ago and after a few moves around the
area landed in a church ward that we knew really no one. We went to a ward
dinner party and you know being new and knowing no one just picked a spot at a
table and started talking to somebody. Not long and this younger couple came.
We introduced ourselves as D and Bonnie and somehow how things stuck on us
being called Bonnie and Clyde. I grew out the stash once again just for you,
Shawn. When we met, I had this look (a fu-man-chew) Since then I have had many
a good time with him and at some point, some of those I will have to pen and
blog about them. Even in moments of dire pain he had a way of getting me
laughing. We would often laugh about life and the fun writings of one of our
favorite writers in the world McManus. In the past few years his body wasn't
cooperative but yet he still reached out as a fisher of men to many around the
world. He urged them to connect with God and assured them that he is there and
loves them. In spite of his own challenges he was quick to assure me he
(himself-Shawn) was there for me if I ever needed a hand and that God is also
there for me too. He told me that even on his rough days he felt God by his
side helping him along. Until we meet again my brother from another mother,
happy casting at the heavenly lake as you catch and reel in that big one.
A post from social media:
Life is a fragile balance that can
easily start and end. Earth has lost and yet heaven has gained greatly. A fine
fisherman of both men and fish left us yesterday. We knew each other only a
short time in this life but yet we somehow knew we had met before this life.
Our first meeting in this life was coined "Bonnie and Clyde". Shawn
you are and will be greatly missed. To Shawn’s wife and young son, we love
y'all.
**These have been slightly changed
from the originals but not much.
~Where are you?
“Where are you? I’m here and
ready.” Henry was a character and a half. Fisherman and joker of sorts. Mind
you ole’ Henry was someone you didn’t meet every day. The fish feared him and
teenagers hung around him. Church going people grew to love him once they got
past his rough exterior. Ya see Henry had seen a few things in his life from
the rough neighborhood, the military, and a bit of hard living. When I met him,
he was all in to hanging with Jesus and being a fisher of men. We would be
getting ready to go on an outing and there he was calling and saying “Hey,
where are ya?” He was ready to go. I could always count on a reminder text and
then a call. The fish would jump on to his hook. If you were head to the river,
the lake, or any place fun or fishing was or even could happen he was in. He
could always tell a great story and when he would tell of fishing and catching
the big one, he was not exaggerating a bit because he could catch them. I was
super saddened one afternoon not to long ago to hear about a tragedy at the
lake with Henry. One more friend gone without me. Yeppers, another friend on
the ultimate fishing adventure casting and hooking on to the big ones at that
heavenly lake in paradise. He will be missed in this life greatly but he is
hanging with Jesus and those fishers of men we know of old that cast their nets
and filled their boat with fish and the souls of men. Happy fishing their
buddy!
Mathew 4:19 And he saith unto them, follow
me, and I will make you fishers of men.
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