My "ongoing tribute"

In an episode of the show, “Justice League” Superman is presumed dead after a battle with some formidable enemies (he is later discovered to be alive; he is Superman after all).  After the events of this fight, the rest of the episode focuses on the grief, pain, and sadness that Superman’s apparent death inflicted on everyone in his sphere of influence.

In the gripping scene of Superman’s funeral, one of his allies gave a poignant and eloquent speech about his friend.  I have thought of these words periodically this year as I contemplate the fact that my dad is no longer being with us.  Here are his beautiful words of respect to Superman:

“Though we gather here today bound together in sorrow and loss, we share a precious gift.  We are all of us privileged to live a life that has been touched by Superman. 

The Man of Steel possessed many extraordinary gifts, and he shared them with us freely.  None of these gifts were more remarkable than his ability to discern what needed to be done, and his unfailing courage in doing it, whatever the personal cost.

Let us all strive to accept his gift, and pass it along as an ongoing tribute to Kal-El of Krypton.  The immigrant from the stars who taught us all how to be heroes.”

Every time we have gone to the graveside, I have placed a card with Superman’s ‘S’ emblem on the front of it in the dirt next to his marker.  On one occasion, on the inside of the card I wrote, “Jerry Bauer, my dad, Superman.”  The fact that I gave him this designation makes the touching words of tribute to Superman in the above quote all the most emotional to me.

 

I wish I would have had the thought to read those beautiful words of tribute at my dad’s funeral service.  But I’m grateful that I can share them with you today and forever have them in the records of this blog.  Tears come to my eyes when I read Superman’s ally say, “We are all of us privileged to live a life that has been touched by Superman.”  Similarly, everyone who knew my dad shared a gift, a privilege, of knowing him.  He, like Superman, touched so many lives in a positive way.

But I think the section I love the most in that quote is when he speaks of striving to honor the memory of Superman by passing his unselfish example to others as an “ongoing tribute” to Kal-El, the Man of Steel.  In reference to my dad, I want to honor his memory, character, and life by following in his footsteps.  It is my “ongoing tribute” to Dad.  My father was loving, humble, kind, forgiving, and he was the most unselfish person I’ve ever known.  Why shouldn’t I follow in his footsteps?  Why shouldn’t I attempt to emulate the Superman-like example of my dad?

Kevin  

Reflections on life 1 year later

Everyone gets wounds.  This is an inevitable part of life.  One interesting aspect about wounds is that some of them are so deep that, upon healing, they eventually result in a scar.  For instance, I have a scar on my right arm, and I’ve had it since I was a child.  Similarly, there was a wound that happened to me a year ago; the wound of the unexpected homecoming of my dad.  While I have been focusing on (and celebrating) Dad’s existence in Heaven, it hasn’t been a picnic for the countless individuals who feel his absence.

Back on Memorial Day, I quoted from Richard Exley’s book “When You Lose a Loved One”.  At one point in the book, Exley quotes Joe Bayly who said these words: “Death is a wound to the living.”  It’s so true!  And, once again, even after the wound heals, the scar will remain forever.  In other words, even though I will always miss my dad, the acute intensity of these early days will eventually pass.

For many years my dad signed off of his radio broadcast by saying, “God bless!  Keep your hand in His hand, and keep on keeping on.”  We are striving to “keep on keeping on”, and while the wound is still fresh, I can testify that it is God who is sustaining us.  Psalm 146:9 says that God “sustains the fatherless and the widow” (NIV).  I’m proof that He certainly does sustain the fatherless, and I know that my mom would quickly affirm that she is being sustained by God as well.

When you lose someone you love unexpectedly, it has a profound impact on you.  It colors the way you view life.  I like the way a character on the short-lived TV show “Birds of Prey” put it: “You lose someone and it changes you so much; how you think about life and death.  It makes everything different.”  I may look the same, but I’m not the same person I was a year ago.  A major life event such as this changes you.

I could list example after example of this, but to give just one, in the movie “The Truman Show” Truman Burbank (played superbly by Jim Carrey) made a profound statement.  He said, “Life is fragile.”  While I may have had an intellectual understanding of Truman’s thought before the events of last year, I now find myself resonating deeply with it.  Life certainly is fragile.

Kevin

“God bless!  Keep your hand in His hand, and keep on keeping on.” – Jerry Bauer (1954-2015)

The blissful existence of Heaven

In honor of my dad’s organizational skills, today I’d like to alphabetically elaborate on a few points on Dad’s bliss in Heaven that he has enjoyed for a year now.  That doesn’t mean I’m going to have 26 paragraphs today.  Let me just dive in and you’ll see what I mean.

First of all, my dad is accepted.  Rebecca St. James once said, “For me, when I come home to Australia, there’s such a feeling of joy and peace and excitement; because you just breathe a sigh of relief: “I’m home.”... I imagine Heaven being the same way…that joy and the absolute freedom of knowing I belong."  I know what she is talking about.  I’ve been in situations where I am welcomed, embraced, loved, and accepted by a group.  That’s a picture of the acceptance that my dad has been experiencing in Heaven.

Secondly, my dad is having a ball.  I’ve said it before, but many have the misconception that Heaven is going to be a dull existence.  It’s not.  “How do you know?” you ask.  Because Jesus, who knows Heaven experientially, called it “paradise” (see Luke 23:43).  In a helpful got question.org article the author states, “In Luke 23:43, Jesus declared, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”  The word Jesus used for “paradise” is paradeisos which means “a park, that is (specifically) an Eden (place of future happiness, paradise)”… when you think of a park, do you think of boredom?”

In the days, weeks, and months after Dad passed away, we received so many gracious notes and cards from the myriad of people who knew and loved my dad.  I’m so grateful for each and every one of them.  One person wrote these apropos words: “Jerry is in Heaven having a party that we haven’t been invited to yet.”  I agree.  Psalm 16:11 is a beautiful sentiment; it reads, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (NKJV).  My dad is having a ball.  With no hurries, worries, stresses, headaches, or deadlines!

    

Third, Dad was commended.  When you read Revelation chapters 2 and 3, where Jesus is speaking to those seven churches, it’s interesting how often you see the phrase “I know your deeds” (see Revelation 2:2; 2:19; and 3:8 for just a few instances of this).  God knows the kind of life my dad led.  He knows of Dad’s selflessness, integrity, and valor.  He knows that Dad repeatedly put the needs of others ahead of himself.  He knows that Dad gladly served his friends, coworkers, and family while diverting any fanfare, recognition, or glory to God.  Therefore, I’m convinced that my dad heard these powerful words of commendation or praise: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21 and 23).

I would like to keep going, and maybe I will in subsequent blogs this month.  But you get the point.  You see a small snapshot picture of the delights that my dad has been enjoying for a year.  Praise God for Heaven!

Kevin

http://www.gotquestions.org/doing-in-Heaven.html

"Dressed in His righteousness alone"

Well, it’s July.  I actually had the thought of titling each blog for this month “Is it August yet?” (with the accompanied part 1, and then 2, etc. in parenthesis).  I say this because this is a month that is now forever set apart as quite bittersweet.  On the one hand, I’m happy that my dad is experiencing bliss that is beyond human imagination in Heaven.  I’m thrilled for him.  On the other hand, I feel the void, pain, and loss in my heart and life.

I’m not sure how many or few blogs I will be writing in this distinctive month, but I’m certain that I will be talking about Heaven.  Based on that fact, for today, I wanted to ask and answer an important question.  What qualifies a person to enter Heaven’s gates?

Many today would answer, “Practice good works.”  While this is a common response, the fact is nobody is qualified to enter Heaven based on their own performance, merit, or works.  The Bible puts it plainly, “All our righteous acts are as filthy rags in His sight.”  Don’t get confused: this verse doesn’t mean that righteous acts aren’t important.  Rather it means trying to somehow gain God’s favor with upstanding conduct or righteous living isn’t sufficient to qualify for Heaven.  Why not?  Because humanity is guilty of sin and no amount of works can magically erase that fact.  Let me put it another way: entrance to Heaven has nothing to do with my works; it has everything to do with Jesus’ work on the cross of Calvary. 

In an article from got questions.org, the author puts it this way: “When we stand before God one day, we cannot beg entrance into heaven based on our own merit.  We have none to offer.  Compared to God’s standard of holiness, not one of us is good enough.  But Jesus is, and by His merit we can enter heaven.”  Amen belongs here!  By the way, there’s so much more great material in the article I've quoted from.  The link is below.  I encourage you to check it out.

http://www.gotquestions.org/who-will-go-to-heaven.html

A few years ago, I had a dream that I was riding on the subway.  For some reason, a fellow passenger began to ask people why they thought they were going to Heaven.  I have no idea why this person decided to ask everyone this question and I woke up before I got the answer.  Be that as it may, when he got to me, I answered, “I’m not relying on my own righteousness to enter Heaven; I’m relying on the righteousness of Jesus Christ.”  The all-important question, then, is this: How does one get this righteousness?  The answer is through faith, trust, and belief in Jesus.  Romans 3 says, "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."  The old hymn had it right: “Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”

Kevin