“Know that your life matters to many, so do good work, laugh everyday, and press on.” Papa Smurf

When I first heard that Papa Smurf had ALS, I cried. I cried because I thought about my friend, who was strong and loving, and him dying that way.  I cried because I loved him and questioned how God could curse a great man that way. I asked God a lot of questions, and answers have been slowly revealed to me over the last several months.

Over time, I saw a man I loved share his love of life, his love of his family, his love of his students, church, and F3 brothers. I saw his loved ones be able to tell him over time how much he impacted our lives. I then reframed Papa’s journey. Maybe, just maybe, if we look hard enough, he was given a blessing. A blessing to teach us, not how to die, but how to live.

Some people might be sad today because they may think that Papa lost his battle to ALS. I say, Papa didn’t loose anything. He kicked ALS in the teeth. Yes, the last bit was tough. Yes, he lost his ability to communicate to loved ones. Yes, simple things like swallowing and coughing became labors, AND YES, he was given an opportunity to love his family, church, professional connections, and F3 brothers. Yes, he showed me how to focus on living life, rather than trying to escape death. He left me with a message quoted above that is on the back of the shirt on my back…right now. Sometimes one sentence is all I need to help guide me to be the man I hope I can be.

If I do good work, righteous work, then I will live like Papa taught me. That means getting right with my spiritual journey. Papa taught many of us how important faith and his relationship with God and Jesus was. His bible study with Jacob was one of the first intense, sustained bible studies I have done. He taught me how important it is to pour into our future leaders, like Moses poured into Jacob.

He taught me how to laugh everyday. I’ve had the opportunity to eat lunch with Papa many times over the last several months. Sometimes, it was an intense conversation, sometimes about F3, sometimes it was a patient conversation, with time to pause. I can promise you that as good a man Papa is, he loved a slightly inappropriate joke. I loved listening to him and Mary Ann laugh about my gentle middle school humor. I thought about Papa, when I told my Grandpa some slightly inappropriate jokes that String Bean shared with me. The ability to laugh and participate in F3 “Mumble chatter” is important. That’s part of what made Papa a magnet and that HIM (High Impact Man), THAT GUY, as OBT said. He was the first Nant’an of F3ENC for a reason.

He taught me how to press on. He prompted me to embrace my version of a mid-life crisis and complete the Joe Warner Fort Bragg Heavy and GrowRuck. He gave me the courage to press on when very few people thought I could complete the JWFBH. Pressing on is what we have to do now. What we are charged to do now. We have to press on and continue the mission of life through the mission of F3. We are charged with pressing on to be the men our children, families, and community need us to be.

I cried again today. I had the opportunity on June 29th to share A Prayer for Papa Smurf. I think this part needs to be repeated today for me and maybe my brothers:

A Prayer for Papa (7/29/16)

In F3, we end every workout with the Circle of Trust.

I cried last night after I heard. I cried by myself. My bride knew it, my mom knew it, my daughter who was not swimming, knew it.  They were patient and they were respectful.

I asked myself, why in the world would I cry. Isn’t that selfish?

But then I reframed it. For some reason, the shortest sentence in the Bible came to me. John 11:35. “Jesus wept.” It continues “The Jews therefore said, ‘Behold how much he loved him.’”

When you are part of F3 and you enter the Circle of Trust, men open their hearts to each other. We are allowed to be vulnerable. Connections are formed that are beyond all comprehension. Connections you may not realize are there. That’s what has turned what Dredd called “A simple idea,” (F3) into an amazing, amazing brotherhood.

Our character is not revealed in times of triumph. Our character is revealed in times of strife and struggle. Our character is revealed by those who surround us and support us during those times of strife and struggle. We love you Papa Smurf. We love you in that way that was unimaginable before we formed this brotherhood, before you led the formation of our brotherhood.

We love you brother,

Amen, and Amen