My Friend Tom, I will miss you.

Today my friend, Tom Neumann, went home to be with the LORD. Tom and I went to college together and played on the college basketball team.  Over the last several years Tom was our counseling director.  When this working/ministry opportunity began to develop I was thrill because of the quality of person Tom is, both in his personal life and professional life.  From time to time Tom and I would sit down and talk about many things...some regarded our personal lives and challenges physically we both were dealing with. Some of our conversation was just kidding each other.  I will miss my friend Tom.  When news came from Tom that he had a rare form of cancer our hearts were broken.  Tom being the person is continued to counsel people almost up to his entrance in to heaven today.  Tom always was trying to gather more information about how he could help people. Reading, seminars and listening gave him the tools to assist people through the struggles they were going through.  I will miss my friend Tom.  Tom will be joined in heaven, later on, by his sife Ev and son.  He loved his wife Ev.  I remember when they were dating and when they got married.  They were a striking couple, full of life and dreams.  I will miss my friend Tom.  My loss of a friend though is heavens gain. While I will miss my friend Tom, he is enjoying and experiencing everything about what our faith points to.  Tom is in no more pain. The burdens of trying to help others are lifted and he is experiencing pure joy and happiness. I miss my friend Tom but will join him some day in a world that is beyond comprehension on this side of eternity.  I miss you Tom but I am glad you are where you are at.