Redeem The Time

Today a friend died who I knew for only about 2 months. He came into my families life and changed it for ever.

Paul Kelly was referred to us by a violin shop as an instructor for my two youngest daughters who decided to take up playing the violin. My daughters called him shortly after and when I arrived home that day they said, "Dad we called this man and he sound like a nice person and he is a "Cowboy". Will you call him and check him out?" I said, "OK."

I gave him a call and liked him right away, we decided to meet that night, since both of our schedules were very busy. My wife, my two youngest daughters and I went over to his house. He happened to live in our neighborhood just a few blocks away.

We walked in and began to introduce ourselves. He explained how he taught. In a pause of the conversation I said, "My daughters tell me you are a Cowboy." He looked at me in a way that a cantankerous old cowboy could and said, "Follow me, .... Oh, excuse me girls we will be right back." He lead me to his bedroom where he kept his saddles and other riding gear. We talked about riding. He asked me if I had ever ridden, I said, Yes, some." We traded stories. I saw several deer antlers hanging on the wall. I asked, " Do you hunt?" The conversation changed to hunting and guns. He pulled out his Texas CHL and showed it to me. So I showed him mine. He smiled and gave me that look again.

He walked to the bedroom door and hollered to the girls, "We are going to be a little longer." He then went to his closet and pulled out his Colt model 1911 .45 ACP's. He was excited. We talked about shooting for sometime. We discussed going to the gun range sometime in the near future. He told me he had a dream of buying a Kimber. At that point I said, "I have a Kimber CDP." He looked at me with a big smile on his face, a look of, "Man, I have found me a real friend." I thought to myself, "I have found me a great friend and I need to help him create more income so he can buy his Kimber, you could tell it was his dream."

After an hour or so we got back to the girls and Paul gave them a violin to borrow to start practicing. He gave them their first lesson right there. He was funny and full of life, you could tell he had passion for the things he loved and for people. 77 years old and still going strong at the things he loved.

We went home that morning knowing we had been blessed greatly. God had lead us to him and him to us.
Well he began to instruct my daughters on the violin. We meet the Perez family, who's daughters Paul was instructing. The are very good at the violin and had been talking lesson for some time.

A couple weeks later I stopped by and showed him my Kimber. As I handed it to him his eyes lit up and he smiled. I told him we should go shooting soon and he could try my Kimber. We agreed we would.

After each lessons my girls would come home happy and excited and tell me more funny stories. Mr. Kelly would compliment me on my daughters how fast they were learning and how gracious they were.

After 4 weeks, 4 violin lessons, Paul woke up one day and had some trouble physically. They took him to the hospital to check him out. He needed surgery on his part of his brain to remove a growth.

We went in and spoke with him in the hospital. I began to talk with him and showed him what we call the bridge illustration. It is an illustration showing the gap between fallen man and a Holy God. That man cannot make his way across the gap on his own. Fallen man is sinful by nature and "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ." We must be born again to see the kingdom of heaven. Christ said, "No one gets to the Father except by means of me."

I needed to make sure Paul had heard the gospel message and to know that one needed to accept Christ as Lord and Savior since I had not know him very long and we had not discussed this subject. After all I had only seen him twice before for a couple quick visits. He told me he had made that decision some years ago. During that visit we meet some of his friends, they were all great people. But one stood out, Mr. Mike Rooker. A marine now in the recruiting office in the local area. I am always honored to meet people who have served our country in the armed services. We would find that Mr. Kelly and Mr. Rooker were very close.

A week later his surgery went well. A couple day later he was at home recuperating. My daughter went over many days to help. I took time out of my busy schedule to visit him a time or two. Each time we met the bond got tighter.

They took Mr. Kelly back to the hospital to the rehab area to help him develop his strength. Some time later he developed some internal bleeding in his abdomen.

This morning we were backing out the drive way to go to a wedding of a very close friend of mine and Kelly, my second daughter, checked her voice messages on the cell phone. Mr. Kelly was dieing, they could not stop the internal bleeding, it was too extensive and any operation of that magnitude would be fatal.

I stopped the car my daughters jumped out with tears in their eyes and jumped into the other car. My wife and I headed to the wedding and our daughter headed to the hospital.

I will let my daughters tell you of the account at the hospital. ( Ahthelife ) But at the wedding just as the couple were reciting their vows to each other, my wife could feel the cell phone vibrating in her purse, it was the girls.

After we marched down the isle and the end of the wedding, we called the girls back. Mr. Kelly had gone to be with the Lord. I had thought and prayed for him through out the wedding. Now he is gone.

It is not everyday that we meet someone who can change our lives so drastically in such a short period of time. So remember to redeem the time.

After we arrived home and slowed down from a great time with the wedding party. My wife laied down on the bed and wept. Mr. Kelly had touched her heart and changed her life for ever, he had blessed our who family.

I leaned over and kissed her and said, "Someday years from now, when you and I die, we will arrive in heaven and we will hear a violin playing. Paul will be playing for us." My wife nodded here head in agreement and tears rolled down her face.

We hope and pray that Mr. Kelly knew that we loved him. I believe he did. We need to take his love and multiply it and give it to all we meet, all the days of our lives.

God Bless you Mr. Paul Kelly, we will miss you.