Charisa Stories

Tag: reunion

  • The Anticipated Joy of Heavenly Reunions Excites my Heart

    Wayman Tisdale & Toby Keith

    I heard the news today that county music singer Toby Keith succumbed to stomach cancer at the too young age of 62. Toby Keith was a talented and imperfect man that had a huge heart for helping others. That is just about the best resume any of us could hope for. I wrote a blog about the things the church could learn from his song, “I Love This Bar”.

    But my favorite song from Toby Keith was written when his dear friend Wayman Tisdale passed away in May of 2009. Tisdale was one of the all-time great basketball players at Oklahoma University and had a distinguished NBA career. But his first loves were Jesus and music so he retired to pursue those. Toby Keith and Wayman became best friends along the way.

    Toby talked about his friend in an interview with newson6 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

    “Having a successful career, you meet a thousand celebrities and most of them don’t come as advertised. They kind of break your heart a lot,” Keith said. “Wayman didn’t know he was celebrity. He was one of the most special individuals that I ever met in my life. He changed the way that I view life.”

    Keith spent two days reeling from the death of his friend. And then he sat down and penned this amazing tribute titled “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song}”. I often play this song when someone dear to me dies and goes to be with Jesus. Toby’s lyrics are a perfect summary of how I feel when a Christian friend or family member goes home.

    So play it sweet in heaven
    Cause that’s right where you want to be
    I’m not cryin’ cause I feel so sorry for you
    I am cryin’ for me

    If we truly believe (and I do) that followers of Jesus are welcomed to heaven then the reality is we are crying for ourselves. We miss the person who has left us but we realize they are in a better place. Toby Keith recognized the impact of Wayman Tisdale went far beyond a great basketball and musical career.

    You showed me how I am supposed to live
    Now you showed me how to die

    When Wayman Tisdale was welcomed to heaven that was why he was no doubt greeted with the cherished words “well done, good and faithful servant”. His basketball and musical skills were amazing but his eternal impact was defined in the song lyrics above.

    The first thing I thought of this morning was the heavenly reunion of Toby Keith and Wayman Tisdale.

    So play your upsidedown, left handed
    Backward bass guitar
    I’ll see you on the other side superstar

    That just happened. Two incredible talents who realized music or sports was not their identity. Their identity and hope was in Jesus and the realization that we are temporary citizens on this earth.

    But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:20, ESV)

    I have so many friends and family I look forward to seeing again someday. What an amazing hope that is to get us through the sorrow of earthly loss. “See you later” is the greatest comfort I can imagine.

  • The Best Reunion Ever Is Already Booked!

    The Best Reunion Ever Is Already Booked!

    This past weekend I celebrated my 50th reunion with my Chillicothe Cavalier classmates in Southern Ohio. It was a remarkable time of laughing and reminiscing with, uhh, experienced friends.

    Time can be so perplexing. Sometimes my days strolling the long halls of that school feel like forever ago. At other times the memories seem like they happened yesterday.

    I had the sobering assignment of assembling a video to remember our classmates who passed away before this milestone reunion. As I edited the high school photos of over sixty souls I was deeply moved. There were some close relationships. Some I only knew in passing but were still familiar faces. One of the departed was my best friend in high school.

    How I wished we could have had our whole gang together but that is not how this journey works. We lost one classmate who planned to attend to Covid just days before our meeting.

    I loved that gathering of old friends this weekend but I have to admit that as I get older I am looking forward to another Reunion. A song by Carrie Underwood came to mind as I thought about the classmates who had passed before this milestone.

    This is our temporary home, it’s not where we belong
    Windows and rooms that we’re passing through
    This is just a stop on the way to where we’re going
    I’m not afraid because I know
    This is our temporary home

    I am merely a renter on this planet. I don’t really own a single thing that matters. When I am driving a rental car and hit a pothole my first reaction is always, “Oh well, it’s just a rent car.” That describes the attitude I am developing as I hit the potholes of life. I have lots of stuff here but that is all it is. Stuff. What really matters is my faith, my family and those relationships that make this trip worthwhile.

    Jesus talked about an amazing reunion that we can all look forward to. This reunion will make 50 years look like an eye blink. This reunion will be eternal and I have acquired my invitation to that event by simply trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

    I love this life. I am not anxious to depart it but I am at peace that when that time comes the reward will be indescribable. It certainly looks like a great program is being planned.

    “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”  (John 14)

    To quote my friend Bart Millard of MercyMe I will get to worship my Lord in a way I can’t even imagine.

    And the sweetest sound these ears will get to hear
    The voices of the angels
    When I finally make it home

    When I finally make it home I have a daughter waiting there. I will get to thank my saintly grandmother for the difference she made in my life. My earthly Father awaits me there. My Mom is home in heaven. Joni and I have many dear friends who recently made the journey home. The list goes on and on.

    I have a few investments on this planet but I have unspeakable wealth and eternal investments there. We don’t think much about that in our culture do we? There is so much of the good life here that heaven can seem obscure and maybe not even an upgrade. But we are only temporary residents here. Enjoy every moment of this journey. Invest in relationships. But realize we were created with a desire to know our Creator and that this dwelling place is a short time rental.

    I am getting ready for the best Reunion EVER! It should be a blast!