Is it just me
or are there times when you’re about to begin a new chapter in your life and
you think it’s a cut and dried kind of change but somewhere in the back of your
head you know there’s a much bigger lesson coming with a message attached that
you better be paying attention to?
When we were
asked to return to this tiny spot of the world late last summer by the owner of
Bernie and Sharon’s Riverfront RV Park, a spark of intuitive “knowing” shot
through me that we were meant to return to this little-known Montana
community.
I felt Bernie
had a bigger “plan” for us.
Indeed he did
my friends, indeed he did.
When we left
last year Bernie was ill. He knew
it. We knew it. He hated doctors and despised hospitals even
more.
In April of
this year he was diagnosed with advanced inoperable esophageal cancer and
Wednesday, July 1st he was laid to rest.
Now,
unfortunately there is no abridged version of Bernie’s personality. He lived his entire life in the area he was
born in but his reach went well beyond the boundaries of his birthplace.
His mind
never stopped wrapping itself around new ideas, including becoming a pastor and
building his own chapel on the RV Park he and his wife Sharon built from a
rundown trailer park over 20 years ago.
When Bernie purchased the trailer park he and Sharon weren’t married but
she was a resident of the park, along with her 5 children. Bernie hired her to do the mowing since she
needed the cash and he needed the help.
Their joke was … Bernie bought the park and Sharon was part of the
deal. Yep, that’s the humor you couldn’t
help but love!
If you
mention Bernie’s name to anyone in a 20 mile radius, they know who you’re
talking about and have a story to tell.
How he takes people in who others shun, gives them a helping hand,
perhaps a job so they can earn some cash and then sends them on their way in
the hope that they have learned a lesson and will begin creating a better
life.
His
nondenominational church has become a hub for community events that range from
Sunday services, weddings and funerals to fire department fundraisers.
He was
stubborn, opinionated and an ultra hyper workaholic.
One of the
volunteers told us about a day when life was giving Bernie fits and profanity was
rolling off his tongue like marbles from a jar.
The volunteer had to remind him he was a pastor and an example for
others. Bernie shook his head and the
“out loud” profanity ended but I’m sure it still flowed through his mind like
Niagara Falls.
He was human in
a million delightful (and sometimes not delightful) ways.
He loved to
travel. A converted bus sits in the yard
that was his family’s RV.
He loved to
build stuff. He built a solar car that
looked like the Delorean in Back to the Future complete with flux capacitor, or
so he claimed.
He loved to
ride his motorcycles and scooters.
And most of
all he loved people and his Faith.
His tiny
chapel and attached kitchen/multi-purpose room holds about 120 souls. We were told as many as 1000 may attend his
“homecoming celebration” as he wanted his funeral called. We knew some would not attend because it’s
known the chapel is small and guesstimated between 200 -300 and that was pretty
much spot on.
Dave
organized volunteers into a parking crew so RVers and service attendees
wouldn’t be fighting for parking and road space. It all went like clockwork. Bernie would have been impressed.
The service
was attended by pastors, of all faiths, from the surrounding community
churches, a priest and nun were spotted, many Amish and Mennonites joined the
service also.
A long-time
friend Tom Osmond, older brother of the Donnie & Marie duo was also there. Tom is one of the 2 older Osmond brothers who
were born deaf. Dave & I got to know
Tom last summer when we were here and even though he wasn’t part of the “Osmond’s”
singing group he’s an entertainer with a capital E!! A video I watched this morning showed him signing
a song being sung at Bernie’s service. Tommy stayed overnight and stopped over to
visit Dave and I before he left and told us Bernie was transitioning into a
Morman in heaven. I’m sure Tom and
Bernie had many conversations about that theory and when they meet in the great
Hereafter the conversation will continue!
Bernie’s
farewell was an unending showcase of people he had touched and an outstanding
lesson in the art of loving despite race (by the way the Pastor replacing
Bernie in his chapel is an African American), financial position, faith or past
mistakes…oh yeah, Bernie also ministered to the prisoners in the State Prison
outside Deer Lodge which is about 10 miles from the RV Park.
So, what
lessons has Bernie taught me?
We bicker and
shove our personal agendas around like monkeys on a leash trying to fit
everyone into the mold we’re most comfortable with, when in fact variety is the
spice of life and the ingredient that makes life sweet.
Good is good
and evil is evil, don’t get them confused.
Gather the good regardless of what is seen on the outside. Battle the evil with a vengeance! Sometimes that will require silence and
sometimes it will require speaking or acting out loud ALOT. If a bit of profanity is thrown in, so be it!
Good and evil
are not attached to a specific color, religion, social status or belief and you
have to practice, practice, practice to sort out one from the other, and even
then you’ll be fooled more times than you’ll want to admit.
Listen to
your gut.
If you see a
need and you’re able, step up and fill the need. If you’re not able, step aside so someone
else can step up.
Bernie lived
as he pleased and he died as he pleased.
Give yourself
permission to do the same and the rest will just happen.
That’s what’s called faith.
Thanks
Bernie.
And the
lessons continue……..
Yep... you are probably right where you are supposed to be. That gut thing and lessons are definitely to be paid attention to :) Well written and well said, Beck... thanks for sharing. We'll talkcsoon... ♡♡
ReplyDeleteHope you had a Happy 4th! It was pretty quiet here and we were OK with that! ;-) Always great to touch base with you guys.
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