Here's the eulogy I gave @ Ted's funeral yesterday.
My sweet Son Josh told me Ted was one of the biggest influences in his life. He said Ted was always someone he looked up to and loved. Before Josh told me that I had no idea. You may never know just how big an influence you have in someone’s life. I know Ted never knew that about Joshua.
Ted and I and our cousins Mark and Tommy (who we lost last year in August) grew up together. Ted was the oldest and we always looked up to him. We were raised by my Mom and Aunt Lainy (Tom and Mark’s Mom). We all lived together a number of times over the years. So, the 4 of us had two (actually 3 – you’ve got to count Granny in there too
) strong Christian women who loved us and nourished us, they fought for us, and disciplined us. And more than anything they raised us to be good Christian Men. And we always had each other. God blessed all of us so much with those times and the love of Mom, Aunt Lainy and Granny. Wow! We were surrounded with love and devotion.
One day Ted called me up and told me to register the internet domain name JesusLovesYouToo.com. He had just registered JesusLovesYouToo.org. This was right after he started getting into computers. Well his website never really became a ministry for him, but mine has become a part of my ministry and who knows how many people have visited there over the years. You’ll know why I mention this in just a moment, but first a little more about my Brother. One thing most of you probably don’t know about Ted is he taught himself computers. Not just the way you and I know computers, but he knew computers and the operating systems and programs. He was extremely skilled and knowledgeable. Each year the company of Microsoft selects a handful of people around the word and awards them “Most Valuable Professional” status in their particular areas of expertise. For the last 3 years Ted was selected as one of their MVPs. Ted was a staff member on one of the largest computer forums on the internet. That forum has over 296,000 members who have used it and there may be tens of thousands of guests online @ any one time. Ted wrote 31 Tutorials for that forum and had over 24,300 posts. Ted was very well-liked and respected in that community. But here’s an even more important tidbit that Ted would be even more proud of – over all of those accomplishments: In internet forums you can attach your signature and kind of say what you want the other members and guests to know about you. Ted’s signature said “Jesus loves you just the way you are” and there is a link to my website Jesus Loves You Too. So, whenever anyone on that internet forum searches for one of his tutorials or reads something he wrote on there they see his signature and they see that Jesus Loves Them.
Ted lived a hard life. He grew up way to early and he struggled to find happiness and peace. He was a hard Man to get along with at times. He was quick to share his thoughts with you and he was very firm and steadfast in his opinions and beliefs. With Ted there are no gray areas. You are either right or you’re wrong. It is either white or black. One time when Ted was just really getting into computers we were talking on the phone and he was telling me how to do something (mind you, this is a man who had never touched a computer until just shortly before then, and I (emphasis!) had been around computers for years. Well, he kept talking over me in his excitement and his belief that I did not really know what he was asking of me. So, like any little brother I got frustrated and I said “Ok, I’ll play your silly little games.” Well, for a moment you could’ve heard a pin drop. Then in his very authoritative tone (I was kind of used to that. BTW we were both in out late 40s – not still kids!) he said “Listen here Sonny Boy. I am your elder and you will show me the proper respect.” Well, just like any self-respecting Man I quickly said “Yes Sir” and then proceeded to tell him I was unhappy that he had been talking over me. Praise God we got that one behind us! Why do I tell this story? Because that was the kind of man Ted was. Hard and strong, but there was another side as well.
Ted was very sensitive, and soft, and loving, and generous and kind. He could be the most engaging and concerned person you’d meet. And he was giving to fault. Ted loved his family, but he struggled with emotions. Ted was my Brother.
Isaiah 40:25-26 says, “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” That is our Great God, our Father. Yet even though He is so grand, so mighty, so, perfect, so Holy He knows each of us because He created us. God told us in Psalm 139:13-16 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Our God created us and He numbered our days before He created the heavens and the earth. He appointed each of us for this time. For right now! Ted was ready to go home to be with Jesus. For a number of years he longed for that time. But I always knew the time was not yet. God had more for him to do. As I was blessed to spend some time with Ted over the last few years I was always in awe of how devoted to God he was. When we would go somewhere Ted would be sure to tell each person he had a chance to that Jesus loved them. What an awesome ministry! Telling someone who may not know that they are loved by the Savior. Who knows, maybe the last person Ted told them that Jesus loved them – maybe that was the last assignment Ted had to complete before it was time for him to go home. God knows.
I know my brother would not want us to mourn. I know he is with his Savior Jesus Christ in heaven. And Ted’s only concern would be that you know Jesus loves you too and that you know Him as your Savior too. So, don’t mourn for Ted. Instead rejoice with me that he is no longer in pain and that he is sitting in the arms of Jesus surrounded by God’s perfect love and our loved ones who’ve have gone before us.
As some of you may know I like Christian Contemporary Music. Here are a few verses from a couple of songs that are very appropriate for us today.
Building 429 “Where I Belong”
Sometimes it feels like I'm watching from the outside
Sometimes it feels like I'm breathing but am I alive
I will keep searching for answers that aren't here to find
All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
And another song, this one by Mercyme “I Can Only Imagine”
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine
That is where Ted is now – Surrounded by God’s glory and walking with the Son. Amen and Amen. Thank you Jesus for the blessed assurance we have in you.
Let’s pray …
You will be missed...
