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Be The Best.

One last 2025 post.

So you know how these end-of-year posts go.

A look back at the year that was, a look ahead to the next year. This is kind of like that, just with decades, not years.

One of the best quotes I’ve stolen this year goes like this – days are long, years are short. That is a poignant thinker!

When you have young kids and the task list seems endless from daybreak to lights out, you know the feeling. If you have aging parents and the care needs affect schedules and priorities, you know the feeling.

Of course, this year marks 15 years since Chris’ passing. That is CRAZY to think about. What we would give to get back to the days of insane lacrosse schedules married with regular life stuff! The years are now very short, looking back.

Rev Jake, Chris’ GPa, my father, passed away peacefully early Sunday morning in his sleep at 94 years of age. All of the adjusted schedules and time and planning to get him to see Silver Star one more time (2023), the 18 ‘last time’ crepes from River’s Restaurant, connections with grandkids and his family – are now just a flashing moment in time.

I think that is the mystery of life. It’s hard to know what you have in the moment. Some moments seem long. When they are gone, believe me, they seem short.

Chris LOVED his Grandpa and you can read about that in many of these posts. I think it’s a very fitting way to conclude this 15 year restrospective of Chris’ passing.

I know Chris, my Mom and others are welcoming Dad to the clouds and I’d be surprised if Chris hasn’t already challenged him to a ping pong game or even push up rally.

I wish you all the very best as you navigate life with your families in 2026. The weird thing about life and love is that it doesn’t exist without death or loss. Savor the moments, even the ones that feel rushed and busy, cause the days may feel long at times, but the years will certainly feel short.

Max, Mom, Dad (Gpa to Chris!) and Chris – 2009

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Be The Best.

Guest blog – Rev Jake..aka Grandpa

I’ve asked my Dad if he wanted to jot a few thoughts down for the blog from time to time.  I think it’s a beautiful tribute to his grandson and Faith in general.  Keep rockin it Dad!  Heavy…and good.  Thanks.

————–

Unspeakable! This word occurs only three times in the New Testament, and could also be rendered as indescribable (NKJ), or inexpressible.

I was thinking of this word as I thought of Chris.

All of the words spoken or sung or written since that dark day of March 25, 2010 cannot adequately express what is in our hearts: there is something inexpressible here.

The raw emotions, the feelings, the conflicting thoughts cry out for resolution, but there is no resolution.

The thoughts of our hearts end with questions rather than periods; they are questions that have no answers.

The trauma of all that happened has left us dangling in space.

We are on the wrong side of the door of a mystery, of something inexpressible.

A human life is inexpressible.

Chris’s life was and is inexpressible.

The Christ-gift that came at Christmas is declared to be God’s unspeakable gift.

(2 Corinthians 9: 15)

This Christ, the ultimate Creator of life, declares all of our lives invaluable.

The Christ presides over Chris’ life even now, in a divine continuum, even while we mourn Chris’ departure from us.

The indescribable Christ weeps with us now in our pain, and desires to lead us through the valley of the shadow until we too shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

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Be The Best.

Crying over spilt (or spilled) milk…and trucker hats.

For the first time that we can remember, we had to pour milk down the drain.  Simple problem. The 4 litre container had gone past date.  Not a big deal…except for the memories surging back of the same-size milk container not even lasting 3 days.  Today at Safeway we bought a 2 litre container of milk…it didn’t spill, but it might as well have.  It’s the little things that get you.  Ingrid reminded me that a 2 litre of milk is part of the ‘new normal’. She’s right, but tonight I would love nothing more than to buy 8 litres of milk and 40 yogurt containers for my boys.

Yesterday I gave my Dad a trucker hat.  You know the ones….anyone over 60 wears those hats with the mesh backing and sort of has them sit on top of their head?

Grandpa and Chris, Dec 31, 2009

Chris (and his many buddies) thought this was the coolest trend in their teens and trucker hats were catching on everywhere.  When Ingrid and I were in Hawaii last year we made sure we brought a hip trucker hat home for Chris.  He had his Grandpa model it when we met them at Silver Star at New Years.  Dad had grown a beard for a Christmas production at their church and Chris thought the beard was the coolest thing he ever saw.  He propped the trucker hat on his Grandpa’s head and I snapped some pics.

Wear that hat proudly Dad…I know you will.

I’m going to make Max some chocolate milk.