Promoted to Glory!

Bernie started coming to the Bangor corps around 2 years ago. Why he never got connected long before that, I'll never know; Bernie was so at home with this group of people! It wasn't long before it seemed he had always been around. We got so used to him seeing him working on something or helping someone.

Debbie and I were two of the few we knew who called him Bernie. He had a variety of nick-names, but most called him Bertie. We figure we misheard him when we asked what his name was and started calling him Bernie. He never corrected us, so I guess it wasn't a problem for him.

Many (especially his old time friends) called him Poochie. Yeah, you read that right- where he got THAT one, I'll never know! Someone told us to "pooch" something was to collect it- sort of like a pack rat would. And Bernie was CERTAINLY a pack rat! You should have seen his house! Incredible all the stuff he crammed in there (not to mention his truck)! Debbie and I like to do the garage sale circuit, so we'd often see Bernie on our travels. The difference was, we look- Bernie bought . . . everything! So I guess Poochie fit him.

Bernie was a handyman. As I said above, he was often fixing things around the building- especially little things that others didn't even notice. He was fastidious about those kinds of things. He always wanted his church to look it's best.

Bernie liked to come into my office and sit by my desk to chat. We'd chat about all kinds of things, but mostly about Jesus and the Bible. He liked to ask me questions that made me do some research. Someone once told me when Bernie asked you a question, he already knew the answer- he just wanted to see what you thought about it. And he wanted to make you go search the Bible! There was a method to his "madness!"

One of the coolest memories I have is after Bernie was enrolled as a soldier (in full uniform- even the cap!), is seeing him come around the corner into our parking lot in full uniform on his motorcycle! Incredible.

We had a special service last Thursday morning in his memory. We talked about some of the things I wrote above, sang his favorite song (How Great Thou Art), and talked about his Jesus. We had a packed-out chapel, since so many people knew Bernie and loved him. At least half the crowd was from our Soup Kitchen, where Bernie would come and talk to everyone about Jesus.

We'll miss Bernie. Actually we have been missing him, since cancer kept him at home in bed for so long recently. The Bangor corps will never be the same without this hard worker who wanted to help everyone he knew and even many he didn't!

I find it interesting how God would connect us with such a wonderful person for so short a time. I guess here's where the old saying is especially true: "It was better to have known and loved him for a short time than to not have ever known him at all."

I'm looking forward to seeing Bernie again some day. We'll sit together and chat with Jesus- perhaps by his desk in heaven. I'm certain of this, because I know Jesus too and heaven's where the path of following Jesus ends. Without Jesus in the picture this temporary parting would be for a much longer time.

So do YOU know Jesus too?