Photos by Bruce and Cody Haines
(2 Thessalonians 1)
11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Those lengthening shadows at the end of a day, at the end of a life. I witnessed that this past Friday. My oldest dog died, his name was Charlie. He lived about 126 years in dog years. It was hard at the end, but we did our best to make his last few weeks happy and comfortable. He couldn’t walk anymore, so we would take him out for drives and put him in a “doggie” stroller when we walked, so that he could still smell the air and enjoy the Sun. We set up a corner of our kitchen, near the sliding glass door, for him, so He could sense the light. Looking into his eyes, we could see the cataracts. and we knew he was probably completely blind. We set up a Doggie Hospice, and offered fresh food and water daily. But two days before he died, he just stopped eating and drinking. He died in our son’s arms as he was carrying him out into the Sunshine off our back deck on Friday. We buried him under a beautiful tree, on top of a hill, in our yard. We all pet his head one last time, and cried and lot. Charlie’s love for life, his desire to keep going was inspirational. But when Charlie was gone, when his head dropped for the last time, I looked into his eyes and He was truly gone. I had never looked death in the eye before, not until this day, it is so lonely, so final. 
I tell you all this because I believe God is inspiring me to keep going, ramp it up, keep writing, keep encouraging others, keep teaching the Word. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”(Gal. 6:9) Don’t give up, never surrender. When I looked up weary it meant: to have one’s strength relaxed, to be enfeebled through exhaustion, to grow weak, grow weary, be tired out. I am older now, my youthful vigor has slowed, but my desire to help people know the Beloved God of the Bible has not waned. As a matter of fact, it has only grown deeper and stronger. I am decreasing, may He increase in me. May we all, Glorify God more in our waning years, when the shadows lengthen and the light grows dim, then we ever did in the days of Bright vigor and strength. I may be weak, but God is strong, and He tells us that His power is perfected in weakness. So Shine On until the end, Bright Lights of God, His Beloved People. Let’s look at the exhortation from Paul one more time as we ponder how to spur one another on to this end.
(2 Thessalonians 1)
11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Shine On, Shine On, Bright Lights of God
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