Goodbye Joe...

Today we went to the Memorial service for Joe Petramala...it was a very loving tribute and I am still so impressed with his son Jonathan's words.   My daughter said he was always good at speaking and writing...and today he probably gave the hardest talk of his life...and he was awesome.   He had us laughing, crying, and when he was done there was applause...

Joe's wife Janie was as one person put it..."a class act".   Another said while Joe did the marketing and buying...Janie would be fine with all those sheep--she was the worker.   I refer to Janie as a "shepherd".   I have seen her first hand in going through our own tragedy with sheep and watched her...she is a "shepherd" and I mean that as a great compliment...Jonathan spoke of his parents complimenting each other in their strengths and weaknesses...and I know Joe will be so missed by them both.  I am so sorry and saddened by this loss...

The tribute was a good one...and was filled with great love by all those who spoke as well as the many that packed the large church.   And so when I got home tonight I ran to the post office and for those who seen the sunset it was an awesome one!    The picture below does not even do it justice.  As soon as I got home I ran and grabbed my camera...but I missed the awesome glow that almost seemed to glow as fire as the sunset behind the trees and the mountains in my rear view mirror.   As I drove, Casting Crowns played Spirit Wind...and the music made me pray for the family that they would be filled with the Spirit Wind...as well as all who thirst for more...



And so I ran out to the road to snap a picture and as I stopped and said goodbye Joe...I started to turn when out of the corner of my eye...a hawk soared in the adjoining field and I just snapped my camera with out focusing.   As I knew as I have experienced before...it was one of those Selah moments...those moments you pause and calmly think of this.  And so since the picture was blurred...I added a different view to it...one that you might feel the peace I felt as I watched it soar and land in a distant tree...(And as I go to finish this...my shepherd comes in and says it looks like it might be going to get foggy...and I think of one of the stories told today and thought probably when I hear of fog...I will think of Joe...and wonder if in fact we will receive moisture in 100 days...)

I think back of when I first remember meeting Joe...we purchased fencing materials from him where I worked...He was good to do business with...if he told you it would be there...it usually was.   However, we then got to know him through the "sheep" world as well.   By the number of people that were there today...it is obvious that he touched many lives and will be missed by many...so though we said goodbye's today Joe...we will remember you much longer.  

God be with Joe's friends and families...I pray for their strength...I pray for their peace.

Goodbye Joe...

And I include Spirit Wind...perhaps a prayer for us here in the valley...