Gary Varvel: Dems - just keep digging

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Gary Varvel

Apr 25

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Confidence for Democratic leadership in Congress is only 25% according to a Gallup poll conducted April 1-14. That’s 9 points lower than the previous low of 34%, recorded in 2023. When you find yourself in a hole, you should stop digging down on the same unpopular policies.

SEE YA’ LATER

EVERETT ALEXANDER

I lost a dear friend this week. Well, I didn’t actually lose him. I know exactly where he is because he told me where he was going. “I told my wife this morning that I’m going to see Jesus today,” he said. Then two hours after I left his bedside, he met Jesus. Everett was 85 years young.

I met him a couple of years ago at church and I invited him and his wife to come to my Lifegroup Bible study. They did and I got to know the deep spiritual side of this quiet man.

He loved to work. After a career in banking, Everett taught himself carpentry and plumbing and got a job working for a builder. He like working with his hands and was so good, the builder wanted to make him a supervisor but he turned down promotions because he didn’t want to manage people anymore, he just wanted to do the work. Then he flipped houses and bought rental property, then sold it all. Later in life, he bought old furniture, refurbished it and sold it.

Everett told me when he was young, he liked to sing so he got two friends to join him in a trio. Later, they added a fourth, formed a barbershop quartet and competed in a statewide competition. After finishing second two years in a row, they won the state title his senior year. He sang in church and even led the music service in a couple of churches.

But after a lifetime of experiences of being a husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather…his health had become a battle that he was losing. His heart was giving out and he had been on dialysis for quite a long time. But on this night, he was in a hospice facility, lying in bed surrounded by his wife, Jane, their adult children and a few friends. As I sat by his bedside, he talked to me, not as a man who was near death but as a guy looking forward to an all-expense paid trip. You see, a long time ago, Everett put his trust in Jesus who paid the death penalty for our sins. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) That’s a promise that Everett trusted.

Usually when someone is near death, no one close to them is comfortable talking about the elephant in the room — namely “where will you spend eternity?” But Everett was the first to address the elephant.

"I'm not afraid,” Everett said. “I trust in the promises of God. I'm looking forward to seeing Jesus."

Some might think, how can he be so sure? Well, this is what unwavering faith and grace looks like after walking with the Lord for decades and believing in His written word. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Everett had that kind of confidence.

"People say they want to see the streets of gold, Everett said. “I want to see the people who are there." His siblings are there. So is a child who died long ago.

A long life includes a lot of suffering — suffering the loss of loved ones and friends and strength and finally health. But Romans 8:18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

What kind of glory will be revealed in us? Listen to what Everett said, "What I'm looking forward to is the Lord making me holy. No more sinful thoughts. That's what I want." Now Everett has what he wished for.

Everett’s funeral is today. His loved ones will celebrate his life. But I won’t say goodbye because those of us who trust in Jesus have His promise that we will be reunited. So I’ll just say, “see ya’ later, Everett.”