Well, it's finally time for the next generation to start it's farewell. Uncle Irvin has passed away.
He's been suffering the effects of cancer for a couple of years now and last year they thought they had it beat. But it came back with a Vengence and has taken his body, the container, the house in which he lived.
Uncle Irvin was always the quieter one, if a Thiessen can be quiet. But his humor was always perfectly timed. You could finish a phrase and just as quickly he had a smart response.
His life was not easy either. He was the one who remained at home, working on the farm as his siblings went out and built lives for themselves all over the world. He and his wife, Evelyn and their two kids worked hard to make the farm pay but eventually he started driving a school bus to help pay the bills. Illness was a part of their family for a long time, but until now, it hadn't been him who was sick.
Every kid should have an uncle like he was.
He was the one who taught me the value of a day spent at the dugout, out back by the gravel pit back of the house.
He was the one who scared me senseless as I got into a front end loader and raised it up as high as it would go, then started to tip it forwards...
He was the one who sang while driving the dirt roads of Southern Manitoba, "I'm looking under a green cucumber, that I underlooked before...!" Or his other favourite, "Smile, though your shorts are burning!" which to my young mind was hilariously funny.
He was the one who led the church choir for years, because he loved music.
He was the one who, on the coldest, blizzardest Sunday morning of the year, with the roads closed, got the tractor going and rode the 20kms to church, just because he could. And, I suspect, because of what a funny sight that would be seeing this guy on the tractor driving down the closed TransCanada Highway.
He was the one who would pick up the country party phone line, (Where everyone on a road shares the phone line) and make body noises while others were using it.
He was the one who, one day driving over the hills and valleys of the dirt roads came over a hill and saw a CN Van had run right into a school bus. The bus driver was dead but he got the kids off safely, then the fire started. The men in the van were yelling in terror, and he started pulling them out, one after another. By now others had arrived, but the fire was so dangerous nobody would go in to pull out the last two screaming men. So he did. As he pulled the last of them clear, the van exploded.
He was the one for whom I created the term "Farmer Golf." He had such upper body strength that he would line up a golf ball and pull way back and just hit the crap out of it. And that ball would fly like it had wings and a momma bird and was heading south for the winter. It was something to see.
He was the one who loved. You could see it in how he patiently served God out on those fields. How he faithfully cared for his wife and kids and his mom and dad. How he worshiped God at the small EMC church in McGregor Manitoba.
He was faithful: full of faith. And now he has gone home, to the place he would sing about and think about and laugh about. He joins the cloud of witnesses who will watch and wait for our arrival.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
He whom we love is not here. Tenderly and reverently we commit that which is mortal to the grave; the body returns to the earth from which it came and the spirit unto God who gave it.
For even as we have borne the image of the earthly, we who die in Christ shall bear the image of the heavenly. May the Lord receive him into his peace and raise him up at the last day. Amen.
I heard a voice from heaven saying, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Blessed indeed, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them.
Till we meet again.
There were times, before we actually tied the knot, when I would wonder what in the world I was doing- and who was this creep I was engaged to anyway! Then we would have some family event. Sometimes I think I didn't just marry Randall for himself, but I married him for his family. Especially the Thiessens. These are people who know how to be REAL; who know how to LOVE and laugh, and- though they don't mind poking fun at the new kid in their midst, (they are "Teasin's after all!) they are never mean spirited. They are, to a man and woman, selfless and generous. Uncle Irvin was indeed a quiet, gentle Uncle. It was so fun to watch him with his grandchildren, and being a grandpa to any little kids that were around- ours when we were there. The thing I miss the most living in Saskatchewan, is the Thiessen Christmas gathering. We were able to go most years we lived in Manitoba and it was always the highlight to my season. It was what Christmas should be. Fun, and games, and stories and singing, and Jesus. No tension. A person could relax and know this was a family that loved you. The HUGE regret of the past year was that we missed Uncle Irvin and Aunt Evelyn when we were on our travels to MB this summer. They were in the process of moving house and weren't there when we stopped by on our way home. Now we'll have to wait for heaven. At least we have that joy. That comfort. That hope. Our hearts are breaking for Lynette and Terry and thier kids. For Grant and Anne. For Aunt Evelyn. To have his incredible pain ended is a relief, but to be without him is excruciating for them. Thank you, Jesus, for Uncle Irvin, and for the witness of his love for you.
ReplyDeleteI am the Friesen in Saskatoon that keeps quiet..at least on the net ! One of my favorite Uncle Ervin stories is when I would stay at the farm for night. It was an interesting event in the life of a city girl. Needless to say, the word cricket has a whole new meaning to me after that night. Should I say cricketsssss ! "Uncle Ervin, there are crickets in here " " And.." he would say. " Can you come and do something about them?" " Why? your not scaring them too much. Just leave them alone and you won't bother them too much" Well, it was a looong night !
ReplyDeleteTime goes on and now the first of the aunts and uncles are gone. But through it all we do have that marvelous hope to see one another again. We are so blessed that they all love the Lord and we WILL see them again. Goodbye for now, Uncle Ervin, til we meet again.
"He was the one who would pick up the country party phone line, (Where everyone on a road shares the phone line) and make body noises while others were using it."
ReplyDeleteI read this to Chris and Sarah last night. They were in fits. He sounds like someone I'd have loved to know.
and a voice will say to your uncle Irvin,"well done, you good and faithful servant"...... I sometimes like to sit and imagine what that reunion will be like.....seeing my family again....
ReplyDeleteNice eulogy Randall. Your uncle Irvin sounds like a godly example.
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