My Mentor, Pastor and Friend

It seems we get caught up in the hussle and bussle of life. Paying bills, going to work, spending time with the family and trying to juggle all these endeavors. I think about the circus and the man that spins the plates on sticks. Our lives become these juggling acts of keepin all the plates spinning.
Then it seems something will occur that sends the neatly placed plates toppling to the ground. Things happen that wake us up and make us realize how fleating life really can be. It is at these moments we become much more introspective and begin to really grapple with our own existence. These times in our lives we begin to see that keeping all five plates spinning is not necessarily the most important thing in the world. The world probably will not end if you leave the dishes in the sink or forget to mow the lawn.
Today is such a day. A day when it really does not matter if all the plates spin, or even are held up for that matter. Today there is a family in a little house gathered literally around a bed side of man that is clinging to life.
This man is and has been so many things to so many different people.He's a son who diutifully looks after his mother. He's a brother who continually and loyally prayed to God for thier souls. He's a loving father who would walk through fire and hell to do anything for his children. He's a grandfather who lights up when his grandchildren enter the room. He's a husband that faithfully loves and dedicated his life to support his loving wife. He's a best friend that is always there for his friends and willing to do anything for his friends. He's a pastor that dearly loves his church family and truly searches for God's will in thier lives. He's a mentor, teacher and friend to me and my life is never gonna be the same without him. None of our lives will be the same.
Our lives truly are changed for the better for having known Gerald Thomas Walls. He is such an inspiration to me. He is the definition of a never quit attitude. Tommy was diagnosed with cancer some years back. They told him then that he had a short time to live. Tommy never quit and said he was done, instead he fought it with tooth and nail. Many times I would say how do you do it? He would reply "What else am I going to do? I'm no hero I'm just trying to live my life."After having conversations like this with Tommy, I walked away thinking about how insignifigant my problems are in comparison.
This is the part that really gets me about him. Though my problems were miniscule in comparison to fighting through cancer my friend, and mentor would sit down with me and listen to those problems and genuinely care deeply about my plight. He would offer advice and tell me it was going to be okay everything will be fine.
You see thats the kind of man my Pastor Tom Walls is, he cares deeply for others. He always told me that the one thing he wanted more than anything was to have the power of God in his life. He would tell me stories of great men from days gone by that prayed intently so much so that there were indentions in the hardwood floor where they prayed daily. He told me about a missionary that witnessed to Natives in the artic regions. He would tell of how there was a trail of blood left where the man had been praying for these people.
Well I truly believe Tom Walls can be put amongst his heroes of days gone by. Tommy would lay in his bed and through the pain and agony he experienced with cancer would do just as those heroes from yesterdays, He would pray intently for his loved ones, friends, and church members. He always talked to about having God's power as almost an epic journey that I never quite understood.
Today I understand that journey. I believe that he has reached the top of that mountain. He led people to the Lord that he has been praying for for decades. The power of God was surley in his life and I believe has always been there. I dont really think it was a mountain but that it was always there for him. This mountain of experience that Tom has been climbing is not the epic journey, but instead proof that God has always been there. This is just the reality of what God knew all along. No matter how tough or rough it got Tommy would indeed cling to his Saviour. The power of prayer that was displayed was just the answer that Tommy had waited on for so long. So today as Tommy continues to fight against the cancer that has cut his life short on this earth we pray for you and your family. I hope our prayers are as earnest as the prayers you for had for us during those most trying times.
May Tommy's life be a reminder of how important and short life is on this earth. How we who are alive should drink every drop out the cup of life. Tommy would want us to live our lives bravely, and boisterious for God. Praying always...
No matter who Gerald Thomas Walls was to them, Tommy will be missed.
This is not to eulogize Tommy as he contiues to fight the battle that rages inside him. This is to celebrate all he has given and done for this world in which he lives. He may not win the battle that rages on but I can tell you he is giving it one heck of a fight. Tom Walls thank you my mentor, pastor and friend. Though he might argue this last point I still say hero as well.