Day One Hundred and Eighty-Four

"The Sky, Not the Grave, Is Our Goal" 

Clifford Wallace, known as "Wally" by his family, was our blue-sweater-wearing friend. He served as a sergeant in the Marine Corp during the Korean War, and to him and men like him, we are forever grateful. Our paths crossed one Sunday morning, when Adam and I sat next to him at Family Church. He made me cry that day, as he told me a little bit about himself. Cliff was married to Glenna for 58 years. He was 80 when she passed away last June. Since age 22, he faithfully spent everyday with his sweetheart, and though they tried, never were able to have children. When she passed, he remained, just as faithfully as before, right by her side. At BINGO, he'd sit in the same chair she used to sit in, just to maintain the bond with her that he cherished so dearly. It was in this same fashion that he found Family Church, and ultimately, his relationship with the Lord. When Glenna passed, our Pastor presided over her funeral. And at the end of the service, Cliff walked up to Jimmy and told him that he'd like to attend wherever it was that Jimmy attended, as another way of holding on to Glenna's memory. From June 6th onward, Cliff never missed a Sunday service, except when he was ill. His kindness was felt by many, and his sweet love story is one that each of us strive for. But beyond the Wallace's love story, Cliff found something in Jesus infinitely better, and as I sat in the funeral room today, I knew that in Christ's arms is where he'd be spending eternity. And that's our ultimate destination.

Back in October, when Adam and I first met Cliff, he became immediately interested in the both of our lives. Each Sunday, he'd check up on us, and upon finding out that we didn't have a TV, the next week, he showed up to church with one of his own. For us to have. That week, however, we were exploring the terrain of Eastern Kentucky and missed out on this most precious act of kindness. Simply put, Cliff was a lover and a giver. He was a kind man with a tremendously generous heart, and we'll surely miss his blue sweater charm.

C.S. Lewis wrote:

"You don't have a soul.
You are a Soul.
You have a body."

Our bodies are Earthly "tents." It is in Heaven where our true home is found.
Rest In Peace, dear friend.