No socks, no shoes, no problems

I was reading an obit today from a guy I never knew who lived and died in South Carolina. When he found out he was dying of cancer, he decided to take care of the arrangements for his funeral personally. He did it to spare his family the trouble, and to share his love for them - his wife and daughters, and for Jesus.

Marcus McDonald described himself as a "simple man that did not like change (or socks) very much."

His daughter described him this way, "He was the greatest man in the world. To know him was to love him. Period." His good friend Heather Hill, who had known him for 30 years, explained that he was vivacious, bold and matter-of-fact. He enjoyed skiing, water-skiing, playing horseshoes and family vacations to the beach. His family members and friends used to enjoy watching him walk up to people he never met at stores and restaurants and leave them laughing hysterically. "There was no stranger to him, period," Mandy McDonald said.

Central to his life was Christianity, Hill said. "Bottom line is he wants the world to know who Jesus is," Hill said. So he prepared Bibles for each of his daughters with notes jotted throughout specifically written for each of them. Toward the end of his obituary he wrote: "For those of you that read this and come to my funeral, I thank you on behalf of my family because that's who you are doing it for; I ain't gone be there ... I'm in heaven, thank God!

"If you can't make the funeral, visitation will be at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home on Bush River Road from 5-7 p.m. (today) ... so drop by but don't dress up for me. See, my invitation is like Jesus' invitation to salvation to you. ... Come as you are (and a smiley face goes right there)!"

Marcus Macdonald's gifts reflected what he treasured. He loved His Savior. He loved his family. And he loved the opportunity God had given him to live life to the full.

Now he's in heaven, and from Marcus Macdonald's corner I expect you'd hear the sound of laughter underneath a big sign that says "No socks, no shoes, no problems!"

While you're out searching for the perfect gift to give your loved ones, think about this.

What can you give them that will last... forever?

17 The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out— but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

1 John 2:17 (MSG)

Grace and peace,

David

Lead Pastor - New Hope!
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Visit with me at my blog:
http://davethepastor.vox.com/
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http://www.newhopevalp.org/