Through Foggy Contact Lenses

Whew--if I can see through these foggy contact lenses I'll try to manage a post here...contacts don't fare too well when a person is constantly tearing up in them. Today was Jim Nisser's funeral, and who am I kidding? I was not just tearing up, I was bawling. I certainly was not alone, my friends, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. Pastor Tim is an amazing man--heck, he's kept me at church for about 12 years now, that is no small feat!--and his sermon could not have captured Jim any better. Just check out the lastest blog post he wrote for Wooddale's web site, his sermon today was very much like this. After the service we all drove over to the Minikahda Club, the country club that Jim had worked at for so long. Listening to the general manager's eulogy and taking part in the amazing and delicious brunch he so graciously provided for all of us in Jim's honor made me realize that everyone there was definitely Jim's family as well. What a lovely place!

I liken Jim to a Hobbit. I know what you all are thinking, and I can't say I blame you...anyone who knows me knows I am completely obsessed with Lord of the Rings and will look for it in everything...but truly, it hit me today, witnessing the number of lives that he has touched--a Hobbit is the perfect way to describe him. A Hobbit is
humble, and Jim was the epitome of humility. A Hobbit is simple and gets joy from the simple things in life. Jim didn't drive a fancy car or wear fancy clothes. He worked an everyday job doing things most people wouldn't want to do like washing dishes and cleaning up, and his first love was baseball. Just look at ol' Samwise Gamgee and you know that a Hobbit is a good and trusting friend. Jim was everyone's friend. He had a smile for everyone, all the time. A Hobbit will sacrifice whatever they need to to do the right thing. Simply put, Jim served everyone and never complained. A Hobbit changed the world. Jim may not have changed the entire world, but I dare say that he has effected every life that he has touched. Tim mentioned today that even people who didn't know him at all had written in saying how touched they were at his story, that they could tell he was what the world should be. Jim didn't run a multi-million dollar company, he didn't adopt starving children or play major league baseball. But he made us see how the little things in life that are done with grace and humility are so powerful and touching and can have a profound effect on us all--maybe in a small way, he did change the world...even if just for a short time.

Im so proud to say I was Jim's friend! What a great loss. Now today, it's time to take out these annoying contact lenses, don the glasses and get on with life. Thanks to all of you out there who are in my life. It's always things like this that make you really appreciate what you have.

OK! I promise the next blog post won't be so darn depressing! I'd better get back to shoe shopping or something...!!!