Merville Mattered

This afternoon friends and family gathered to celebrate the life of Merville Le Roux who at the good age of 77 went to join his beloved Val in heaven last week. Here is Merville’s best friend Keith showing photos to Glen while Merville’s dog Waffles keeps looking out for his late owner who has gone home. Nearer. My God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

Now for those who knew Merville would know that he was an interesting and unusual man who was at odds with just about everybody sometime in their life but since he became a Christian over 40 years ago he was unbending in his beliefs to a state of aggravation yet one of the most caring and compassionate man anyone ever knew.

It was quoted at this celebration of his life this afternoon that the level of frustration could not be measured yet all who stood up and recalled memories were choking back the tears. After his anchor, Val, left for heaven, things for Merville fell apart. From the lofty heights of the top of business to being rock bottom but not out as Merville still had God. This unwavering belief in God remained and his never say die kept Merville going and going and going. If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.

Merville knew how to push your buttons with his long emails and only getting to the point right at the end of his message. So much so that I once threatened to put his email in my spam list just so I wouldn’t get his blunt, annoying emails. I can imagine I will be getting an email from him from heaven. Yet Merville with his big smile had so much empathy for the down and out as he without many worldly possessions went out of his way to help others with no thought about himself or praise from others. He mattered to many people who could not help themselves. You could say that his mantra was if your problems are too big than your God is too small as he left a legacy that everyone mattered.

Previous posts of Merville serving coffee, he was part of the Launch of Metal Cross, and then there is the Merville post which flooded the memories back and I battled to hold back the tears. Merville mattered.

Merville

A few days ago I shared on Facebook a video by Louie Schwartzburg, an award-winning cinematographer, director, and producer on Gratitude. (For those who missed it here it is). Well today I took this photo of a man many of my friends would know as Merville. Now Merville wouldn't tell you but he has been on his journey though life along many ups and downs. Well in the later part of his life has been more down than up but he always puts his trust in God. Merville would not think twice in serving and helping others without much care for himself. And sitting with him this evening made me think of the narrative read in the video linked above by an old man while images taken by Louie of God's glory unfolding.

Do you think this is not just another day in your life? It is not just another day; it's the one day that is given to you, today. It is given to you, it's a gift. It is the only gift that you have right now and the only appropriate response is gratefulness.

If you do nothing else but to cultivate, that response to the great gift that this unique day is, if you learn to respond as if it were the first day in your life and the very last day, then you will have spent this day very well.

Begin by opening your eyes and being surprised by that you have eyes that you can open. That incredible array of colours that is constantly offered to us for pure enjoyment. Look at the sky. We so rarely look at the sky. So rarely, note how different it is from moment to moment with clouds coming and going. We just think of the weather. And even with weather we don’t think of all the many nuances of weather. We just think of good weather and bad weather. This day right now, this unique weather, maybe a kind that will never exactly in that form come again. The formation of clouds in the sky will never be the same that is right now. Open your eyes look at that.

Look at the faces of people we meet. Each one has a incredible story behind their face. A story that you could never fully fathom. Not only their own story but the story of their ancestors, only goes back so far. And in this present moment, on this day, all the people you meet, all that life from generations and from so many places over the world, flows together and meets you here, like a life giving water if only you open your heart and drink.

Open your heart to, the incredible gift that civilization gives to us. You flip a switch and there's electric light. You turn a facet and there's warm water and cold water. And drinkable water. A gift that millions and millions in the world will never experience. And these are just a few of an enormous number gifts to which we can open your heart. So wish you can open your heart to all these blessings and let them flow through you. That everyone who you meet today will be blessed by you. Just by your always, by your smile, by your touch, just by your presence. Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you and then it would really be a good day.

Just a quiet Saturday

Saturday is a day to recover from the stresses of the week, Nah. I join the Men's Group at BBC this morning to get a good start with Merville shown here offering me some coffee. Doesn't he know that I am on a diet? Well now he knows. Matthew had hurt his finger yesterday and could not go rock climbing this morning so we just stayed at home and played Command and Conquer all day.

The Launch of Metal Cross

From Left to right: Nic, Nigel, Maurizio, Rob (hidden), Frans, Douglas (hidden),
Glen (hidden), John, Keith, Tom, Merville, Leon, Dave, Wayne and Frank