Hi to my Forum Friends,
THOUGHTS OF A FRIEND PROMOTED into the presence of God. I am so tired of losing Friends to that physical tool of Satan, Cancer. Yet, we know that our Lord has already won the war over 2000 years ago, and today, we are only fighting the clean-up skirmishes, as we strive to bring salvation to as many as possible before our Lord comes for His church, His body of believers. Because of that, when I know a Friend has been promoted to heaven, even though I join with the family in a period of mourning -- I also join them in celebrating the life of this blessed Friend.
This past week, another dear Friend and Christian brother, Al Beal, was promoted into His presence. Al and I go back a long way together. In 1966, I was a Field Engineer with Scientific Data Systems and Al was an engineer for Litton Industries. That year I joined Digital Equipment Corporation in the Sales Department of their San Jose, California, office. One week later, Al made that same transition into computer sales. We became friends then and have remained friends through the decades.
One funny incident always comes to mind when I think of Al. In that Digital office was a secretary who did not care for my writing style. Every letter or quote I would give her to type, she would always run it past our Regional Manager -- whom she had preconditioned to believe that I could not even spell "cat" properly, nor could I write a proper sentence if my life depended upon it. And, at the time, she was probably right. Yet, she believed that Al could do no wrong.
In one incident, she had already had our boss correct my letter and she had retyped it. When she finished retyping the letter, Al came into the office -- and because of the respect she had for him, she asked Al to look at the letter. Al made corrections and she, once again, retyped the letter. When I saw it, I almost fell out of my chair with laughter. Al had reedited my letter back to exactly, word for word, the way I had originally written it -- and now it was correct. Such things are what make life fun and interesting.
Over the years, Al and I would meet at different computer shows and other industry events. But, we did not work together again after Digital. Fast forward some twenty plus years to about 1989 and I was working for CMS Enhancements, a computer company in Irvine, California. Al had made a sales call on the president of CMS and was walking toward the door when he saw me sitting at my desk. Of course we had a big reunion hug and sat down to talk.
At the time we worked together at Digital, I was far from being a Christian, being totally submerged in the swinging secular world of the 1960s. So, the subject of Christianity never arose back then and I do not know if Al was a believer at that time.
When we met in my office at CMS and sat to chat, Al reached into his attachÉ case for his Bible. And, at the same time I reached into my desk drawer for my Bible. Imagine the shocked look on both our faces when we discovered that now we were not just friends -- but, that we were now Christian brothers. We had a joyful time of fellowship that day.
Fast forward again to about 1999, Dory and I had moved to Riverside about a year earlier, and one evening we went to Coco's Restaurant for dinner. As we were coming out of the restaurant after dinner, I saw a group of people standing in the parking lot talking. One looked very familiar and I asked, "Al?" He turned and saw me and both our faced lit with excitement. And, two Christian brothers embraced in a loving hug.
However, Dory had never met Al, nor had Al's sons and their families ever met me -- so, you can imagine the surprised look on their faces as we stood hugging one another and exchanging warm greetings.
Over the following years, with Al living in Orange County and me living in Riverside County, we did not have a chance to get together. But, we did talk a number of times on the telephone and Al has been in my Friends Ministry eNewsletter mail list for many years. So, our communication over the past ten years has been primarily via e-mail and telephone.
However, now that Al has preceded me into His presence, we have the assurance as Christian believers of knowing that one day, we will meet again. And, we will have all eternity to enjoy personal fellowship.
As my mentor and long time Christian Friend, Pastor Sam Lacanienta, always tells us at Memorial Services for Christian friends and loved ones who have been promoted to heaven -- and he would tell us the same if he were officiating at Al Beal's Memorial Service, "Our Christian brother, Al, has been promoted to heaven. If you are a believer, you will not say, 'Goodbye' to Al -- you will only say, 'Good night, I will see you on the glorious resurrection morning.' But, if you are not a believer, you must say, 'Goodbye' to Al -- for you will never see him again."
This is not to put anyone down; only to encourage those at the Memorial Service who are not yet believers -- to encourage them to make sure they have a personal "saving relationship" with Jesus Christ, so that they will be able to see Al again and be able to enjoy his love and his presence once more in heaven, eternally.
Praise God that I can say to my long time Friend and Christian brother, Al Beal, "Good night, Al, I will see you again on the glorious resurrection day."
One day, there will be a great Beal Family Reunion in heaven -- and our Lord Jesus Christ will be the Guest of Honor and the Host. Many friends like me who have loved Al in this life will be invited to join this family in celebrating their never-ending, eternal Beal Family Reunion. Thank you, Lord, for this "blessed assurance."
My Christian brother and dear Friend, Al Beal, was diagnosed with stomach cancer this past March -- and he went home to be with our Lord on Thursday morning, August 8, 2013. Please keep his children, Dave, Darryl, and Marty, and all the family in your prayers. And, let's all join with the Beal Family in celebrating Al's life and his "Home Going."
Thank you and God bless,
Bill
