Jim used to come to the Church when I had office hours on Tuesday mornings - always with something on his mind - something he was thinking about, pondering, or something he was trying to figure out.

Jim would be a bit annoyed if I wasn't in the office that week because of a meeting or another commitment. What he was working on needed attention - and it needed it now. He was not the most patient man I've ever known.

I've been thinking of what part of some of those discussions I would share with you - today as we give thanks for his life - what might Jim want to say to you of the spiritual things he knew.

I am thankful that he found his way to my office and I got to know him. I usually ended up learning more from the conversation than he did, I'm sure of this. I think Jim might want to share some of his faith journey. We talked a lot about the Resurrection and about how we can know for sure.

Jim lived, as each of us does, in the tangible world - of people, of quads, of tools to tinker with - the things Brenda and Louise have named. The things one could touch and see and know with certainty they are there.

But God and the Resurrection of Jesus are not evidenced physically. And fear. When humans meet God there is often fear - this goes right back to the Garden of Eden - when Adam and Eve had God come to them in the Garden. It may be guilt - when we meet the Perfect One we are reminded of our own imperfection.

We see fear with the Resurrection. The Gospel of Mark ahs the women fleeing the tomb for fear:

"So they went out and fled the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them: and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid."

Then the Resurrected Christ meets them on the Emmaus Road - Luke records (and you heard these words read a few moments ago): "They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise within your hearts?"

I asked Jim that same question: "Why are you frightened? - What are you afraid of?" He pondered this.

I counseled him to name his fear and to give it to God. Jim chose to be baptized and confirmed. The prerequisite was a series of classes. He was the only adult with 5 teenagers.

Jim contributed much to the class - he thought long and hard about the discussion topics. He took this so seriously he sweated blood, I'm sure. He was so thrilled with the other class members, he learned from them and he wanted to be an example to them.

Easter Sunday, 2003, he stood before the Church. He spoke his faith and became a full member of the United Church of Canada, and more importantly the Church of Christ.

This was the spiritual highpoint of his life. We had a good number of discussions after this. Jim came to know with certainty that it was the Lord who was walking with him on the road of his life.

And he asked the Lord to stay with him. He came to know with certainty that the "joy of the Lord was his strength". He wore his cross chain around his neck to remind himself of this and to tell others. Jim glimpsed God most clearly in the Creation - the rides on the quad raised him to new awareness of the Creator's hand and the Creator's presence.

He thought about how to be faithful to his Creator and Saviour. He asked me lots of questions on how to witness - how to live the Cross. Jim was sincere and wanted to be seen as sincere.

He had little patience with appearances or phoniness. The reading on the back of the memorial alludes to this. He had saved this. Jim told his family he was not afraid and on Sunday he walked into God's glory.

We give thanks for his life, and sometimes we, too, struggle to believe. We, too, fear. I would offer an image to you today - the kind I would offer to Jim when we talked.

Some of you will know that my mom passed away July 21st. We had a service celebrating her life last Wednesday. Mom did many things ot prepare the whole family for the day and beyond. But there was something that God did that gave me such a peace deep in my heart and soul.

I grew up on the Bay Chaleur in Northern, New Brunswick. The family home is still there. The road travels along the Bay. The day of her "Celebration of Life Service" the Bay was so calm - not a ripple and I think of the peace she is experiencing as she has moved into God's eternity.

But just where the Bay met the horizon and as your eye travelled skyward, there was a haze and we could not see the sky. It spoke to one of the dim mirror by which we see spiritual things while we are earthbound. It speaks of the haziness of my understanding and my faith. It speaks of my fear of the unknown. It requires a huge leap of faith to see the Kingdom and to give our lives for the Kingdom of God.

Jim took that leap and now he has entered into God's eternal Kingdom. He now sees things clearly. He sees God face to face. Go in peace, Jim. Go now into God's eternal peace!