Within a period of one week in April our family lost two very special friends. Bob Gorsline and his family have been friends of ours since our early days at S. 11th & Willis. We even lived for a few years in Temple at the same time, and I went to school with his children. Back in February Bob and his wife flew down to Abilene from their home in Washington to watch their freshman and senior daughters in SingSong. We had them over for a BBQ along with our other dear friends, the Smiths. On April 2nd my parents received a call that Bob had died suddenly of a heart attack while moving boxes into his new house. Bob and his wife had just purchased this house in order to be closer to the church they were planting. One week later our sweet friend Becky Smith, also in our home for SingSong, won her 3-year battle with cancer and went to be with our Lord.

Bob was one of the kindest men I have ever known. He and his wife’s visit in February was the first time I had seen them in at least 8 years; yet you would have thought that it had only been a week since the last time we’d seen each other. He hadn’t aged a day and still told the cheesiest jokes! However his cheesiness was only a reflection of his pure and gentle heart. Bob’s job had something to do with computers, but his passion was introducing people to the Lord and helping them form a relationship with Him. Such a quiet and humble servant; a testimony to his life is that his children will continue to live lives of ministry, each in their different vocations. Thank you, Lord, for bringing Bob & his family into my life. Thank you for the relationship my family formed with his, and may his life on earth continue to touch others as he now experiences new life in You.

Becky Smith was a wife to Steve and mother to Christopher and Laura. She had the heart of a servant and lived it out by showing hospitality to others. When I was in high school our youth group attended Central Texas Teen Summit in College Station for a few years in a row. Once or twice the girls from our group stayed at the Smiths. Each morning held new delectables. Cereal was always an option, but only if you weren’t a fan of warm muffins or waffles with fresh fruit. When I graduated from high school Becky and Steve drove up for my graduation ceremony. I received many, many graduation presents year, but I can only recall a few of them. Becky gave me a purple (ACU) flower-covered (she was a horticulturist) box filled with sewing supplies. She knew that being away from home meant that I would no longer have the luxury of living with someone (my mom) who could sew buttons, patch holes, and mend hemlines. It wasn’t until almost 4 years later that I would actually put those items into use, but I will never forget the thoughtfulness that went into picking out the box, tiny scissors, colored threads, assortment of buttons, shiny needles, and fabric glue. She also gave me a soft, purple chenille blanket for my dorm room. When I was in high school she spent a lot of time at our house in Temple. I never thought twice about it, but later I caught onto the fact that her and Steve’s marriage was on the rocks. There is no reason to go into gory details, but praise be to God, He saved their marriage in 2003, just 2 weeks before she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Someday if I get married, I know that when the inevitable hard times come I will remember Becky and Steve, the awesome love that came after the storms, and the undeniable power and strength of the Lord. Father, thank you for showing me your beautiful face through Becky. May I remember her hospitality and love as I minister to families and children.
__________

I wrote this piece about a week ago, but have only had time to post it just this evening. And tonight we received another call about the death of a close friend, Dr. Preston Goforth. The Goforths and our family moved to Temple around the same time back around 1987. We went to church together, lived around the corner from each other, and David (their son) & I were in school together from 5th grade through high school. Mrs. Goforth came home to find that Preston had already passed, so this was extremely unexpected. David had just left for Colorado for the summer, and Doug (their son who is a year older) is finishing up finals in podiatry school and preparing to get married in 2 weekends. Please, please be praying for this precious family. The boys were so close to their father; the guys all shared a love for the outdoors, hiking, biking, etc. I'm sure I'll have more to come about this; my heart is breaking for them, it's hard to even think at this point.