One of our brothers-in-law passed away suddenly last week, and, just like that, many lives stopped to mourn, and we found ourselves traveling across Wisconsin to attend his funeral. We were comforted by the muted colors and tranquility of the changing leaves, splashing across the forested backdrops of fields at this time of harvest.

As we drove along hour after hour winding through the rolling hills, I could not help but hum along to a favorite song on CD, How Great Thou Art:

• Verse 1:

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works Thy hand hath made.

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Refrain:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee:

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

• Verse 2:

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

(Repeat Refrain.)

• Verse 3:

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,

Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;

That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died to take away my sin:

(Repeat Refrain.)

• Verse 4:

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow in humble adoration,

And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

Our brother-in-law, George Sportel, joined our family later in life when he married my husband’s sister Marcella. The couple was seventy-ish at the time. God gave them, and us as family, thirteen years with this gentle man whom every one loved and who loved the Lord and lived out his life showing his humor and warmth and grace to all.

We last saw George on Labor Day weekend. When we left, he hugged me and said his famous line, “See you, kiddo. Thanks for coming. We sure do appreciate it.”

Me too.

~~~

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Great_Thou_Art