Monday, May 11, 2020

The best-worst parade ever!

Men,
I hope you are doing excellent today!  The weather is a little cooler this week as we begin lifting the stay-at-home orders around the area.  I don’t know about you, but I just wanted to open the door today and run around the neighborhood.  Quarantine efforts are not yet fully removed but there’s a sense of freedom just knowing the day is near!  I can’t way to crank up this song by the Newsboys (“I Am Free” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRbaZYGZIHA) someday soon.  I know their message is about freedom in Christ, but it’ll be my quarantine-is-over theme song when that day arrives!
On a more somber note, last night my family, myself, and hundreds (probably thousands) of others joined together at 8:30pm in Overland Park to watch what I’m calling the best-worst parade I’ve seen.  The parade was really a procession of first response vehicles called “Salute to Blue”.  It was put together to honor the service of Overland Park Officer Mike Mosher who lost his life last week serving our community.  I was overwhelmed by the amount of people that lined the street near us.  People of all ages stood donning blue attire and holding flags and signs.  Even more overwhelming to me was the hundreds of first response vehicles from all over the area that were part of the procession.  For over 45 minutes we watched cars and trucks pass with flashing lights and sirens.  No candy was shared but looks and waves of gratitude was exchanged by viewers and drivers alike.  A sign of mutual appreciation we have for one another.  It was a powerful evening!  It was the best-worst parade I’ve ever seen. 
Last night was the best because of the amount of people involved and that both the procession participants and the viewers were there for each other.  It was the worst because an officer lost his life and that was why we were there.  Have you ever had a best-worst moment in your life?  An experience that was very painful to go through but at the same time it had a very positive impact on your life.  There’s only a handful of best-worst moments in my life that I can truly remember.  Last night was one of the moments for me and I won’t forget it for a long time.
Today I wanted to be able to shout from the rooftops to each of you men about quarantine life getting closer to being over.  It’s getting closer.  A new normal is not to far away.  But last night was a reminder that as we celebrate good changes in our lives, we also need to be aware of the opposite for those around us.  The family of Officer Mosher is grieving his loss.  The family of Jim Saner is grieving his loss.  Many others are suffering right now.  We are brothers in Christ, and we will look out for one another.  Whether it’s a best moment, a worst moment, or a best-worst moment, we need each other.  Please pray for one another, check on one another, and be available for one another!
I hope you have a blessed day and if there is anything I can do for you, please let me know!

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