On Thursday morning, April 30th, I led our Upper School Faculty devotions.  I read from a devotional book written by a mentor of mine during my Covenant College years and beyond, Dr. Stephen Kaufmann.  I shared a brief excerpt from a devotion on gratitude – reading from Colossians 3:15-17.  Dr. Kaufmann recounts a story of a teacher who began each class with the greeting from the title of this blog entry – “God is good – all the time.  All the time – God is good.”  After I shared Dr. Kaufmann’s words, I added one of my own where I told of this same greeting offered by a dear elder friend named Harold Jones.  I can still hear Harold’s voice belting out those words.  Harold is with the Lord now, and, while I know that he believed it when he said it on earth, there is no doubt that he has a renewed appreciation for God’s goodness now.  I do miss that greeting from Harold, though.

Then, later that afternoon, I had the opportunity to speak to one of my college sons on the phone.  During that conversation, he told me of a near-miss car accident on Lookout Mountain earlier that day.  It seems that James was traveling up the mountain when a dump truck was traveling down.  But, the truck had lost its breaks and was traveling much too fast.  It turned a corner and headed straight for James’s car.  They both swerved to miss each other and the dump truck actually flipped over.  Thankfully, both James and the truck driver jumped out and, except for a damaged truck, everyone was okay.  I heard Harold’s voice again saying, “God is good – all the time.”  No doubt!

Then, a few hours later, I received an email forwarded to me from a dear friend.  It was one of those that takes your breath away.  The regarding line said, “I’ve some sad news to share”.  I scrolled down to read that a friend and mentor of mine had been killed in a car accident while on a family vacation in Wisconsin.  Larry Kooi was my first boss.  He hired me right out of college when I had so much to learn.  He invested in me.  He encouraged me.  He challenged me.  He loved me well.  He and I remained friends when I took a job in another state.  We had connected on occasion and had even spent some time together just last year.  He was one of those guys with so much wisdom and was a great resource to have when the going got tough.  I miss him already – and know that many others do as well.  Even as I write, though, I am reminded again that GOD IS GOOD – ALL THE TIME.  Larry sees that more clearly today than I do through my teary eyes.  But, it is just as true in the home-going of a friend as it is in the near-misses of life.