Today I logged on to a local news site that I frequently peruse and I saw a headline that sparked my interest. It said that a man from Bend, Oregon had been killed in a fall while taking a photograph during a hike. I thought to myself that I know a guy in Bend who likes to take pictures of the places he hikes so I clicked on the link. I was deeply saddened to discover that the person named in the article was, in fact, my friend Joel. Joel was a very likeable person who loved hunting and camping and the outdoors in general. I spent many hours with him mutually enjoying God's gift of creation. I have many fond memories of seeing his campsite with a two or three gallon coffee pot hanging over a fire on some contraption that he'd fabricated from old branches and chunks of wood that he had found around the area. I remember one time, early in the year, it was very cold. He had a cabin tent set up and some kind of wood stove and inside that tent was almost too warm to be comfortable. He was the only guy I ever knew that had and wore those one piece thermal underwear that one might have seen Robert Duvall wear in Lonesome Dove. Those are fond memories.
Joel and Julia were always invited and present at family events because they were like family.
I am sad as are all of his myriad other friends but we just need to continue to remind ourselves that he fell off the trail Sunday and into the arms of Jesus.
Well, at least I can be confident that when my time comes, there will a hot pot of camp coffee hanging over a fire waiting for me.
