Unexpected Deaths....

It's early Saturday morning in Budapest and I'm blogging, checking email, my space, facebook.... connections to the world in the states. I'm all off schedule to be up at 4 am.

Two emails came today both bringing tales of unexpected and early death.

I met Marc Brierley at the lighthouse (a group of high schoolers in Reno from all denominations) when I was a junior in high school. I'm not sure how Marc died but the way he lived was an inspiration. My condolences go out to his widowed wife at such a young age.

Marc was one of the coolest Christians I met (in a goofy kind of way) and I loved him for that. After I became a Christian my junior year in high school, I had no friends. Folks in Carson just couldn't understand the dramatic changes. But God brought a group of amazing friends into my life through the Lighthouse. Marc was one of them. He was a brainiac but had a sense of coolness to him too. I always enjoyed my conversations with him. I don't remember how or where, but the last time I saw him I met his wife. Mark was on staff with Intervarsity for years and just a real quality guy in the way he chose to live his life. I always respected and admired him. His life is a wake up call that all we have is today. How am I treating people? What will be written of me in the days ahead? Am I living to the fullest all God has for me to do and be in this age? Thank you Marc for being a man I admire. I'm inspired by your life. Thank you.
If you knew Marc, or even if you didn't, you'll be really encouraged by this memorial blogspot to his life.

http://marcbrierleymemorial.blogspot.com/

If Marc weren't enough, I heard that Josh McGee is also gone. I knew him through youth group in Reno. He was a good guy both as a student and as a leader....such a positive outlook on life. I haven't seen or heard from him in years but apparently he had a scuba diving accident with his fiance. I'm so sorry. You can see the news report below.

Death stings.....The only difference is knowing the sting doesn't linger.

Both Josh and Mark are enjoying a place far better than their best days of life on earth. I'm not just saying that to comfort myself in some religious sort of way. It's the truth. I know it's true. So why should we give into sorrow when these men would want us to celebrate their lives and what God has done through them in their brief years. Knowing Jesus in this life and living for him every day only makes the face to face reunion that much sweeter, I imagine.

My prayers go out to both families -- and both women in their lives.