Some Thoughts about Kelly Bradley Clark

You know, life has a way of just happening.  Time goes by much too quickly, and before we know it, chapters are finished, and other chapters are beginning.   In 1984, I was only a young girl myself -- trying to fit in and be one of the new youth minister's (actually his fiancee') of the Eastview Church of Christ on Shelby Avenue.  Jeff and I were both babies -- he was 21 and I was 20, newly engaged, and beginning to serve the youth of Nashville's inner city.  We really had no clue of what we were doing, and looking back, much of what we did was wrong!

The congregation was small, and it was composed of mainly older people.  Our "job" would be helping with the bus ministry that went throughout the neighborhood and projects.  The bus ministry brought many children and teenagers to worship from a world where few knew much about God or Jesus.  I never will forget one of the children -- Harvey!  When we were talking about the birth of Jesus, a statement was made about Jesus being the "king".  Harvey innocently asked, "Like Elvis?"

One of the first families that we met at Eastview was the Bradley family -- Allen, Mary, Kelly, Mary Beth and Chuck.  They were an awesome young family, and they would become such an important part of our ministry time there.  Their oldest daughter, Kelly, was an amazing young woman.  As a 7th grader, when we met her, she was confident, outgoing and beautiful.  Her long, blonde tresses fit her perfectly.  She immediately became "one of my girls," so excited to help in the planning and details of my upcoming wedding.  She was all about bringing a busload of inner city kids and other church friends to that wedding a few months later.  She was almost as excited about my wedding day as I was.

As life happened, we left Eastview, and we began other chapters of our lives.  We kept in contact with the Bradleys for a while, learning that Kelly was a David Lipscomb High School, and then college, and the law school.  Our paths didn't intersect often, but the love for them never left our hearts.

With the invention of facebook, Mary and I reconnected.  It was a great experience getting back into each other's lives -- and the talk of getting together for dinner just to talk about old times.  Again, as life happened, that never occurred.  Mary passed away suddenly about three years ago.   During Mary's service and visitation, Kelly and I again reconnected.  Messages back and forth on Facebook again, trying to offer encouragement to her after Mary's death.  Again -- plans to get together for dinner -- soon.  We all do this -- we plan to do things; plan to make things right; plan to spend more time with those we love. 

Well, life happened again last week.  Kelly, dealing with health issues for a long time, simply went to sleep.  She simply did not wake up.  Her body, her spirit and her mind -- just tired.  So today, friends and family will meet to celebrate her life.  They will celebrate her spirit.  They will celebrate her smile.  They will celebrate the love that she has for Eric, and her two precious sons.  They will celebrate the love she has for her daddy, Allen, and the loss she felt constantly for her mother, Mary.  They will celebrate the extremely close relationship and care she has for her sister, Mary Beth.  They will celebrate the love she has for her little brother, Chuck.  They will celebrate the love she has for everyone she meets.  They will mourn the fact that Kelly is no longer here, but they will celebrate the fact that she remains -- in all of our hearts.  Her sweet little boy told someone this week, that although his mommy is gone, she is still here in his heart.  How true.  That love never goes away, and we know that it is just a temporary separation.

So today, I could not be with her friends and family for her memorial service because of other commitments; but I wanted to stop for just a moment and remember Kelly -- that beautiful, little girl who captured my heart so many years ago.   Yes, life happened, but anyone who knew Kelly will never forget her.  Kelly's life happened -- and we are the better for it. Heaven is only brighter today, with her light, energy and enthusiasm there.  She will always be that young, beautiful girl in my mind, and I will always love her dearly!

Prayers and love to all of the Bradley/Clark family from the Sweets.   

It's almost Sunday!

Yesterday, Jeff and I (along with our dog, Fergus) enjoyed a road trip to Oak Ridge to watch Colton's baseball team in action.  Watching your son coach is an awesome feeling, but that is another blog for another day.  Yesterday was Good Friday, and we really enjoyed just some simple and quiet time together riding the back roads of East Tennessee.  As we came home last night, I couldn't help but think about a Friday evening two thousand plus years ago.  As we came home last night, we ran into dark clouds; howling winds; roaring thunder; amazing lighting bolts.  As we came home last night, I was in awe of God's majesty, reigning down in a terrible thunder storm.  I cannot imagine what people thought two thousand years ago, as the day grew dark, and the earth began to shake.  I can almost see the silhouette of Jesus hanging on the cross, as the soldier proclaimed, "Surely, this was the Son of God."

Today, on Saturday, the sun is again shining.  Tornado sirens are quiet.  The air is fresh and crisp, and the birds are singing.  The darkness and fear from last night's storms is past.  On Saturday, two thousand years ago, the sun may have shone.  The birds may have sung, but the darkness and fear from Friday's events were still ever present in the lives of those who loved the Lord.  I can only imagine, His family, His friends, His precious mother -- waking up on Saturday after a restless night, only to realize that it was not a nightmare.  It was not a mistake.  Jesus was gone.  They had seen His lifeless body taken down from the cross.  They had lovingly prepared that broken body for burial.  They had seen the tomb sealed with a great stone.  The sunshine had no meaning, and the birds' song had no melody.  The Son of God was dead.

But then . . . Sunday.   The third day.  It began much the same.  The aching hurt.  The endless longing.  The sad hopelessness.  The dread of a future without the Light.  Little did they know . . .

SUNDAY would change EVERYTHING!!  Little did people realize, the death of Jesus was not the END, but only the BEGINNING!  On Sunday, my Lord; your Lord; GOD'S SON, would burst forth from that grave. The stone would be rolled away!  That torn and tattered body would be filled with NEW LIFE and new hope for all of US!  YOU AND ME -- TWO THOUSAND YEARS LATER!  Death would be conquered.  Christ's resurrection would take away the pain of death.  The pain of separation.  The pain of hopelessness.  The hurt and sadness of Friday and Saturday would be nothing compared to the VICTORY of SUNDAY!

On Sunday, my Lord; your Lord; God's son, would show His power, and His love for me, and for you.  The sting of death was lessened.  Separation might be temporary, but salvation would be for eternity.  This earthly life would pass, and with it would come physical death.  But spiritual life everlasting was promised because Jesus came out of that grave on Sunday!  Death had no victory!   

On Sunday, the plan of those men in high places had failed.  The betrayal for a bag of silver had been of no use.  On Sunday, a mother's heart would be healed.  On Sunday, Satan would be defeated. On Sunday, I was given a promise of eternal life.  On Sunday, you were given that same promise.

What a gift!  What a weekend!  What a SAVIOR!  Friday was dark, but Sunday came.  Life is often dark, but eternity is ahead.  So take heart, and know that tomorrow is SUNDAY!

(*Some of this blog has been taken from one of my previous Easter blogs, "Sunday's A'Comin'".)

Some People . . .

Some people come into our lives, and our lives are never the same.  There are some people that we meet in life that we never forget.  Although our paths do not cross often, and our lives are not closely entwined, the spirit of friendship remains.  Shared laughs, shared heartaches, good times, sad times – all of these things make up the journey of life that we all travel daily.  In today's world of social media, lives are able to cross more frequently.  Old friendships are renewed, and paths often re-cross.

The older that I get, the more I realize that very little in this life is the result of chance.  As you realize that you are now further into that earthly journey, sometimes it is with heartfelt amazement that you look back over the roads taken.  Roads that somehow you found yourself on – not really certain how that even happened.  Lipscomb University was such an important part of my life.  Thinking it would be basically grade “13,” after graduating from high school across campus, it was so much more.  Life long friends and relationships; common ideals and beliefs; new thoughts and processes as we all entered adulthood and learned to stand on our own.  Of course, my greatest treasure there was finding my best friend, my soul mate, with whom I have now spent almost thirty years of marriage. 

Jeff, hailing from North Carolina, was and is the best thing that I received from my years at Lipscomb.  All of the friends and family that I found through him have truly blessed my life.  So many of those worlds have intertwined and co-mingled through all of those years.   Jeff’s friends and family from Carolina Bible Camp have been such a blessing in our lives.  Those bonds of childhood into young adult hood into (now) more mature adulthood transcend the miles – and even life. 

Our association and life partnering with families with children with special needs have also been such a blessing in our lives.  This is not part of life’s journey that we would have necessarily chosen.  This is another one of those areas of life, where there are few answers to the resounding questions, “Why?” or “Why us?”  For whatever reason, we were chosen to parent a child that will never fully be independent in this life.  Katie will always depend on us or others for some of the simplest things that many of us take for granted.  Many would see that as such a burden, and there are days when Jeff and I are discouraged and ask those questions.  This is where the support of other families in similar situations gives us strength to continue. 

Such a family has been the Woodhouse family in Raleigh, NC.  Barry was a long-time friend of Jeff’s from CBC.  I met Barry at LU.  Barry’s outgoing personality and hilarious attitude on life drew you to him the moment you met him.  His precious wife, Paula, has always complimented Barry in such a remarkable way.  Parents of three beautiful daughters, Barry and Paula have shown us the true example of true Christ-like spirits.  One of their beautiful daughters was born with some special needs.  Barry and Paula have tirelessly worked as advocates throughout her life.  Barry has spoken across the country on subjects, revolving around the special needs community.  They began a tremendous special needs ministry at the Brooks Avenue Church of Christ in Raleigh, NC.  They have been astute in showing the love of Christ, to some of God’s children who need it the very most.  

Barry, at age 53, passed away suddenly a few days ago, following a massive heart attack.  Why?  Why Barry?  Why was such a dear, Godly man taken away from his family?  Why will he never realize how truly special he was?  Why will Barry’s daughters – especially Melissa – never fully understand all of the “whys” associated with a life gone much too soon?  A celebration of Barry's life was held today in North Carolina.  I can only imagine that there were many wonderful stories of Barry's impact, of Barry's attitude, of Barry's love for God, his family and life.  I can only imagine that there were tears shed -- not for Barry -- but for those who will have to live out the remaining days of this life without him.  No, Barry finished his race.  His prize is won.

Life is really like a mist.  We are here, but for a short while.  We need to use that time wisely.  It’s not about making the most money or climbing the corporate ladder.  Sure those things are part of it, but those things should not dictate the direction of our lives.  We need to live by honoring Jesus in our lives – every day and every way.  We need to let people know that they are important – all people – from society’s elite to society’s cast-outs.  We – and they—are all God’s children.  None of us are more important than anyone else. 

Some people come into our lives, and our lives are never the same.  Some people are only with us for a season, but they are all with us for a reason.  We don’t know what tomorrow holds.  Will we even have a tomorrow, here on earth?  We need to make every day count.  Starting today . . . in honor of Barry!