I'm looking forward to this weekend. Actually I always look forward to weekends but the last weekend in June is my favorite. Why? Because the Brad Beckman Memorial Golf Scramble always happens then. This event supports a scholarship in Brad's name at UNO. And part of the reason I look forward to this is because I like to golf and spend time with my son Dan and my dad and Clyde Durham. But more importantly I like this event, this day, because it celebrates the life of a good friend, and a good family I will never forget.
Many of you may not know Brad. He and his family were members of Atonement and always will be, at least in my mind. I grew up with his older brother Rod and in fact spent a lot of time after school at Irvington at the Beckman's. Brad was 5 years younger and Brian 10 years younger. At the Beckman's house the neighborhood would gather for basketball in the driveway or football in the back yard. Later, we all played at different times on the church softball team including mom, Millie. As our dusty trophies prove, all the Beckman's were good softball players.
And though the Beckman boys were athletic, Brad was especially blessed with both talent and physical prowess. He played just about every sport but was best at basketball (a star at NW High and more importantly on our church team) and football. He played football at UNO and was drafted in the 7th round of the 1988 draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He ended up playing for the New York Giants and later for the Atlanta Falcons. On December 19, 1989 at age 24, Brad was killed in an Atlanta area car crash and we were all shocked and saddened.
To this day, I count it as one of my greatest honors in life to have served as a pall bearer for Brad on a cold snow-clad day. Over these past twenty years I have thought about Brad a number of times. Sometimes I think about how much fun we had playing sports and poker together, how fun it was to watch him play at UNO, or I think about a funny story that involved Brad, my dad and Pastor Pete and a lot of laughs. That's the way I remember Brad- as a young man who enjoyed life. And so I look forward to the last Saturday in June to see the Beckman family again and to remember and honor my friend with a round of poor golf.
God graces our life with friends that we will never forget doesn't He? Think about your best friend for example and what a blessing that person is or was to you. Friend means 'favored companion, one attached to another by affection or esteem'. Actually the word derives from the Old English word 'freon' which means 'to love'. Very 'cool' and that makes sense, friends are folks we love. Sometimes time and distance may reduce the contact, but never the heart and love we have for them. You know what I am saying.
Jesus knew all about friends. In John 15 He gives us the world's best lesson on friendship. Talking with His disciples Jesus tells them and us, 'I have called you friends'. He calls each of us friend, people He loves! He said He lays down his life for His friends. Can we comprehend the depths of this or the meaning of the old hymn title 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus'? God tells us in Jeremiah 31:3 "I have loved you with an everlasting love--a love that will last forever". Amazing- God delivered the first most meaningful BFF (best friends forever) text message more than 2000 years ago. The power of these words reminds me of the song from Aladdin where Robin Williams sings, 'You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend, You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend, You ain't never had a friend like me, You ain't never had a friend like me, hah!'
Someone said, 'True friendship is like a star, You don't see it's light in the brightness of prosperity But in the darkness of adversity'. On that first Christmas morning a star shown bright in the sky to point out our Star, our Superstar true Friend- Jesus, the One who shines bright and is with us always, even in the darkness of adversity- and with us in the loss of earthly friends as well. So this weekend I'll pay tribute to an old friend on the golf course and an eternal Friend at church. A weekend of celebrating friendships, surrounded by 'favored companions' is certainly something to look forward to - with an occasional birdie throw in for good measure- I hope!
Blest Regards from your Friend,
kp
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