[Rhodes22-list] Herb's friend Brad Mercer

Sat Nov 8 22:52:16 EST 2008

Thanks Herb,
                    Some things transcend politics, even sailing sometimes.

Chris
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Herb Parsons" <hparsons at parsonsys.com>
To: "The Rhodes 22 Email List" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 11:34 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Herb's friend Brad Mercer


> Thanks for the response Chris, somehow it got buried in my emails and
> bypassed. I just happened to notice it today.
>
> Brad was an enigma, that's for sure. You guys may think I'm
> conservative, he makes me look like one of ya'll.
>
> OK, that's extreme, but he was definitely a social an fiscal
> conservative politically. Conversely, his personal liberal nature would
> put most of us to shame. I've seen him give and do in amazing ways. One
> of his favorite "teasing" sayings was "The Bible says we're to care for
> the widows and orphans, it doesn't say anything about whores and
> bastards." While that's not a notion he actually lived, he said it to
> make a point. That we, as individuals, are not only called by God to
> care for others, but to be good stewards in doing so.
>
> His blog is still up from the day he learned he had cancer. I'm not
> going to quote the entire thing here, but if you (or anyone else) is
> interested, you can read it here:
> http://bradsbigbadbrisbaneblog.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html
>
> But, I will quote a portion of it. Here's what he had to say:
>
> =====
>
> My mind has been racing these last few hours through all the genuinely
> miraculous healings I've seen in my life on one hand, and all the deaths
> of saints on the other hand, who prayed for healing and weren't healed.
> I've been trying to run two directions at once, praying for peace in the
> midst of the storm and the grace to die the death of a saint but at the
> same time praying to be one of the miracles, believing in the love and
> power of God to heal.
>
> And I've been thinking of, and talking to, all the people who love me,
> who hurt with me when I hurt, who feel like their lives will be enriched
> by my life and impoverished by my death. I find myself constantly
> simultaneously thinking "Thank you" and "I'm sorry". Thank you for
> loving me and seeing good stuff in me and weeping with me when I weep. I
> need that right now. I need to know right now that my life so far has
> mattered. At the same time I find myself thinking I'm sorry that my
> prognosis causes you pain and, if it proves correct, may leave you
> feeling abandoned.
>
> We have a lot of things we'd like to see God do through us over the next
> 20 years. I'd really like to not be done, yet.
>
> In the New Testament, in the book of Acts, I find two interesting
> stories. In one, Peter was delivered from bondage and death; the church,
> the people who loved him, were strengthened by that outcome. In the
> other, Stephen was not delivered, but died a painful death; and the
> church, the people who loved him, were strengthened by that outcome.
>
> I need God to be God and love to be enough for the people who love me.
> I'm so grateful that they are many, and that they are praying for me.
>
> =====
>
> That became Brad's motto, and the motto of those around him as he spent
> his last few weeks. God is still God, and love is still enough.
>
> He made it back to Dallas about 5 weeks before he died. He couldn't
> afford to bring his whole family back from Australia, but he came so he
> could say good-bye to family and friends that were still here (he had a
> son and daughter in college in OKC, and his mother, father, and brother
> and sister all live in Dallas). Gini and I rode the GoldWing out to see
> him. He, his wife, and I all went to a small college together. I had an
> old Honda 750 back then. Brad wouldn't touch a motorcycle, and Karen was
> in love with them. So she and I would ride frequently - even after they
> were married. I would regularly offer to teach him to ride, so he could
> take her on it, but he declined every time.
>
> So, I decided to have a little fun to lighten the moment when we got
> there that sad Saturday afternoon. He lay on a bed so weak he had to
> entertain visitors laying down. His mother had to take care of draining
> the fluids from his distended abdomen because he was too weak to do so
> himself. In stark contrast to the distended belly was his gaunt face
> which advertised to anyone that his time was drawing to a close. When he
> smiled through all of that as I walked in, it somehow made it both worse
> and worlds better.
>
> As I said, the moment needed lightening. I knew I would either find
> something for us to laugh about, or I'd collapse in tears, and that
> wouldn't be good. So, holding my helment in one hand, and my leather
> jacket in the other, I said "So, you ready to finally go for that
> motorocycle ride?" Without skipping a beat, he said "Well, wouldn't have
> to worry much about getting hurt on it, would I?"
>
> And so we laughed. And though I miss him to core of my being, I know
> that he was right, God is still God, and love is still enough.
>
>
> Chris Geankoplis wrote:
> > Herb,
> >         Thank you for the inspiring story and what it says about what we
can do for each other.  You know sometimes the "left" views the "right" as
heartless demogogs out to enrich themselves.  The "right" views the "Left"
as looking for a handout and trying to take other peoples' hard earned money
away.  And then you tell the story of someon like Brad Mercer.  It was great
to hear some thing like what he wrote to remind all of us what we as human
beings should not just aspire to do, but when the time comes, to do it. And
then be able to really self reflect on the experience.
> > Thank you!
> >
> > Chris G
> > __________________________________________________
> > To subscribe/unsubscribe or for help with using the mailing list go to
http://www.rhodes22.org/list
> > __________________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> __________________________________________________
> To subscribe/unsubscribe or for help with using the mailing list go to
http://www.rhodes22.org/list
> __________________________________________________