Wednesday, April 28, 2010

A Tree Grows in Lincoln

Tomorrow will mark five years since the death of my friend, boss, and mentor--Pastor Larry Meyer. The autumn after he passed away, the Lutheran Student Center at its annual Woodworking Auction (the auction was Larry's idea...he loved woodworking) auctioned off a Chinquapin Oak tree donated by Bud Dasenbrock in Larry's memory.

Sweetie and I bought that tree and planted it in our backyard. We all refer to it as "Larry's Tree," even Kiddo.

This morning I took a picture of Larry's tree. It's growing like gangbusters--sometime in the next few weeks the leaves will be fully open, and I anticipate it growing at least another foot again this summer. It's healthy, beautiful, and reminds me of the healing and reconciling mission and ministry that Larry was called to.

On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. --Rev. 22:2 (NRSV)

God bless you, my friend. I miss you like hell.



Sweetie, Carol and I after buying "Larry's Tree" in 2005

"Larry's Tree" in our backyard this morning


LH

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

thought you fell off the planet. Sorry for your friend. welcome back :)

Anonymous said...

It's interesting that I remembered you this morning from a Taylor Hicks message board from a few years back, when I heard that Taylor is going to be playing in Lincoln on August 16th! I remembered what a great guy you were, and Taylor has just made a special recording for SOS Childrens Villages that is awesome.
So sorry to hear about your friend. I know it hurts.
I'll have to be anonymous I guess.

Anonymous said...

so...why don't you post anymore...

just curious

LutheranHusker said...

Honestly, it's just a function of time. Between 2 kids, seminary, and work, I just don't have the time right now to just sit and write. I love writing, but it usually takes me a long time to produce something "blog-worthy" (not to say that ANYTHING I write is necessarily blog-worthy, but you get the point). Facebook has become my online updating outlet--much quicker and easier to come up with a couple of short sentences than to produce a blog post.

Anonymous said...

AHHHH....Facebook.

Yeah, I sort of refuse to become a part of that social obligation. Oh I graduated with you and you didn't speak to me all during high school, and haven't seen or spoken to me since...yeah I'll friend ya. No, I don't think so. I prefer my privacy. If a person REALLY wants to know how I'm doing, then they are probably my friend and will call me. HEHEHEHE!! Does that make me anti-social???

Bob Hayles said...

Oddly, I found your blog through a Google search for "what is a 4B economy". Didn't agree with all of the post it took me to, but it made me think AND I enjoyed it. You ought to post more if "Economy of God" is a good example of your stuff.