This afternoon, I attended the funeral of Craig Simmons. If you would like to learn more about him, you can read a great article from the Windsor Star HERE.
However, I want to share the personal story I had with Craig. Most people didn’t know Craig & I spoke. Its funny but I felt like we kinda had a secret relationship. I wasn’t one of his best friends or anything; however, we, for a few seasons, would have a chat on a weekly basis. You see, Craig was a roommate of a good friend of mine, Jason Crawford. Almost every week, for a couple years, I would stop in to pick up Jason and then make the pilgrimage to my friend Ryan Weatherbee’s parents house for Crazy Bread and Reality TV (guilty pleasure). However, Jason usually was being responsible, taking care of RA duties or finishing an assignment, and would make me wait awhile until he was ready to go. In that time, I would be in a panic as I was anxious to get off campus. I really didn’t want to linger around campus and have a bunch of awkward conversations with a bunch of strangers and 5 minute friends. But then I met Craig.
Craig was a great guy. Full of life and light. He lived in the same apartment as Jason. He had a great smile, a caring heart for people, and an inquisitive mind. From the beginning we just connected. I would guess most relationships were like that with Craig. We would chat about life. He would ask me questions about what it was like to have attended Heritage, books I was reading, what its like to be a youth pastor, what it was like to be in an “awesome” christian relationship, etc. After a few weeks of knowing him, whenever I would enter their apartment, I would get a “HEY, How the heck are ya?!” Always made me smile. It became something I looked forward to each week. Whenever he wasnt around, I would be disappointed to miss our little chats.
Today, I said good bye. I realize he has been gone from this earth for a few weeks, but today I remembered. For the last few weeks, I have been pretty angry. It would come in waves, but the same troubling angry thoughts kept coming back to the surface… why did you do this God?! He was so young! How could you take him away from Kristen? How could you take him away from this world?… we need him! The church is already so messed up… how can you take our good leaders away? Craig was full of your love. He was sharing it with so many people. He was one of the good guys. He was one of the few guys who got it… that didn’t turn into an intellectual christian bible college snob. He was real. He loved God and enjoyed life. He was finding community, mission, and freedom. He was married less then a year ago to an amazing women whom he loved. He loved her so much. And she was an amazing blessing to his life (She is so humble she would point to him being a blessing to her). He was living the mission of God.
But then I was reminded. During the funeral today, Charlie McCordic, Craig’s favourite prof at Heritage (He was like another Dad to Craig), spoke a few wise words that helped me (and many more Im sure). He said, “Craig’s life was so short. But God is in control. Craigs story is complete. What is God trying to tell us from Craigs story?” I was forgetting that God is in control. I dont know why God is doing (or allowing) this. However, God is good and everything God does is goodness. I was angry that Craig’s story ended. I wanted to see and be part of more. It seemed so short.
Tonight, I caught the late show of a movie called Inception. I wanted to catch up with a friend I had not seen in some time. Also, I wanted something to get my mind off of the funeral. However, a moment in the movie, made me remember. (spoiler alert) In the movie, there is a scene when the Leonardo DiCaprio character is saying good bye to the memory of his wife. She died at a young age. However, he says a line, much like the words of Charlie McCordic, that they lived a complete life together. That it felt so short… but it was full and complete. He let go of the shadow of her memory.
Today, I say goodbye. However, I will remember. I will remember Craig. I will remember his story. And I will try to make my story full and complete. I have no idea how much time I have; however, I want my life to be full of love. I want to be known as a person who loved God, loved my wife Tanya, and everyone I had chance to share life with. I was reminded that life is fragile. It is a gift. And I want to cherish it. I was reminded that God is in control. I will cling to that reality, let go of the anger… and trust Him. (Philippians 1:21)
