It’s hard to believe that so much time has elapsed since my last entry…almost a month! It has been a busy few weeks. Sonja and I have been in Dillard, Georgia for our annual retreat with the pastoral team. We’ve been to San Francisco attending a Women’s Ministries and in between tried to stay afloat with all that goes on in our “regular” lives.
As I think about the last few days, I am reminded of the words that Queen Elizabeth II spoke at a memorial service for British citizens that were killed in the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. She said, “Grief is the price of love.”
This week we lost to Heaven a dear mother and grandmother of our church, Edna Walker. She will be greatly missed by those of us who knew her. Even through I rejoice in her home-going, the sense of loss that her family, church family and friends are experiencing is just another reminder of how true Queen Elizabeth’s words are.
The reason we grieve is because we lost someone we loved. Yet it is worth it, for the longer I live the more I have come to understand that it is not achievements and accumulations of wealth that bring true happiness and fulfillment; it is those relationships that will last for eternity. Praise God, we do not grieve as those who have no hope, we shall see Edna again some day.
And while we remain here on earth, God allows life to spring forth with new relationships. It was one year ago today that Sonja and I learned that we were going to be grandparents. Oh what a joy that has been! And then this week we learned that Lee and Jennifer are with child again! God willing, I am going to be a grandparent x2 this time next year! I know that with each new addition to my family comes the potential for grief – for grief is the price of love. But oh the joy that each new addition brings and that is worth any sadness that may one day come!
As the years have gone by I’ve had to say a final “good bye” to my grandparents; but now I am 
one! (New life!)
I’ve had to say “good bye” to a sister, but who knows, maybe this time next year David Lee will have a baby sister! (New life!)
One day it will come our turn for the curtains to close on our short part of this human drama called “life” and we will join those who have gone before us. Let us live in such a way that our departure will be greatly mourned. That will only occur if we live a life in which we loved greatly.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
With love and best wishes to all,
david l. kemp
The ONE THING 