Sad Anniversary

Erv's bench on the Sumas River. Photo taken from the opposite bank.

I awoke at 5 am and immediately my mind became active, dredging up the memories. It was the second anniversary of Erv's untimely passing and a few of us guys, friends of Erv, had planned to walk out to Erv's bench. It was a cool, cloudy day, not unlike the day, one year ago, when the bench was placed and dedicated. The night before, I had been reading in Isaiah, and a passage struck me as being appropriate for the occasion.

Isaiah 55: 8-13

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We are still struggling with the "why". Understanding that God is all-knowing and sees the big picture is still the only comfort we can find. His ways and thoughts are so above ours, so, of course we do not understand.  

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

I first met Erv when he was teaching an adult Sunday School class. He immediately caught my attention as someone who was intelligent and articulate, someone interesting to listen to because not only did he think outside the box, he had an unconventional use of language and imagery, enhanced by a wonderful vocabulary. Since then, he and his wife, Deloris, led several Care groups, including the one we were in together for many years. He taught and challenged with God's word so this passage struck me as being a good reason for Erv's time here on Earth, among many other reasons.

¹² You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

When I first went to the crash site a few days after the fatal accident, I stood on the road a few yards from where Erv would have taken his last breath. I looked around me and saw the incredible cliffs and rock faces of the Fraser Canyon, with its dusty rose covered rock and rubble. It was a steep drop to the river, and the view as he was going around bend was an incredible vista. It happened in the early morning when the light was warm and the shadows were long, and what he saw, at the last moment, before he knew what hit him, was "the mountains and the hills and the trees, bursting forth in song", declaring the creativity of God.   

¹³ Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”

This verse speaks of hope and renewal. We know that Erv is "renewed" and our continued prayer is that his family will also experience renewal where right now, even three years later, there is still "thorn bush and briers". May the sweet, warm rains of God's love and mercy fall into your lives and bring renewal to the dry ground.