Surprised by Joy

March 29, 2012

~
Take time to listen
There are words that bring you light
Jesus is calling
 
There is a fresh drink
Each morning that I arise
Go to the wellspring of joy
A relationship
Peace passing understanding
Hidden for you to find
 
Create space each day
On your knees and in the word
Go there and engage your mind
Be still and listen
You will be surprised by joy
 
In honor of Ty Osman II, who was full of joy. 
Ty joyfully served orphans.  You can continue his work.  Click here to learn more.
 
Posted by Terry Sanford Smith
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Listen Like Ty

March 15, 2012

~
Young Ty II listened
He drew near to the God he loved
Was still and silent
God spoke to him of the joy
Gave him a passion to share
 
Hear me, O God, when I cry;
Listen to my prayer.
You are the one I will call
When pushed to the edge,
When my heart is faint.
Shoulder me to the rock above.
 
You have heard the promises I made, O God.
You have laid on me the legacy due
To those who revere your name.
So I will never stop singing your praise;
As long as I live, I will fulfill my promise.
 
The Voice of Psalms – Psalm 61
In memory of Ty Osman II
 
Posted by Terry Sanford Smith
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Ty Osman II – A Legacy of Faith

March 14, 2012

~
The loss of Ty Osman II fills us with sorrow, but it comforts me to imagine Ty skydiving through the galaxies with his Father in heaven.
 

Ty skydiving

 
 
From Ty’s friend LaJuana Gill:

To observe Ty’s life was like watching a beautiful, brilliant shooting star.  He was in perpetual unfettered motion.  Even when standing still, his eyes sparkled.  His smile was so infectious that it drew you into his orbit.  At Coker Creek, it was such great fun to watch him connect with Adair or to play with Keller and Paden.  I loved how Ty worshiped with abandon.  He lived and worshiped full-out! 

I think you brought God glory, Ty.  Just know that you leave us wanting more – just like a beautiful, brilliant shooting star …

~

From Ty’s Dad:

Ty keeps comforting me from heaven with memories and even his words.  “God is here.  His presence is evident.  Take a look around you:  what do you see?”  Reading these words makes heaven seem a little closer.

~

From Ty:

It is hard for me to imagine trying to sincerely believe that this world and everything in it is all that there is …  There is no way that this just happened by chance.  A greater power, obvious to me, definitely had a hand in creating all of this.  One of the things I do not understand is how someone could believe differently.  To think that something as fragile yet as powerful and complicated as the brain was not crafted carefully by a higher power is crazy.  It does not make sense to me.  God is here.  His presence is evident.  Take a look around you:  what do you see?  All the way from the intricateness of a cell all the way to the expansiveness of the universe, He is obviously involved. 

 
“God is so good.” Ty Osman II
Click here to read Ty’s tweets – @TyOsman
~
Posted by Terry Sanford Smith
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Ty Osman II – Legacy of Joy

March 13, 2012

 
 
 
This past Friday, I had the sad honor of speaking at the funeral of young Ty Osman. 
 
Four questions I addressed:
 
1. What would Ty want you to know?
“I never tasted death.  I moved from life to life.”

2. What would Ty want you to do?
“Remain aware that what matters most is a person.”
 
3. What would Ty want you to feel?
“Feel and believe that God passionately loves you.”
 
4. Who would Ty want you to be?
“Be someone who practices being in the presence of God.”
 
These are four moments that I shared in connection with each question:
 
1. The moment Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11).
 
2. The moment Jesus revealed he was aware of the sick woman (Mark 5).
 
3. The moment Jesus compassionately said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid, only believe!” (Mark 5:36)
 
4. The moment I sat with Ty at midnight and I listened to him share  his heart (July 13, 2011).  I told Ty that if I had five minutes to live, and could only tell him one thing, it would be this:  “Go into your room and close your door and pray to your Father, who is unseen …  Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”  — Jesus  (Matthew 6:6-8)
 

Here are three things Ty focused on each day:
 
 Kneeling to pray.
Reading the devotional book the Jesus Calling.
Listening to God by reading the Bible.
 
You are invited to develop these spiritual habits in your life. Many people have been inspired by Ty’s life and faith and are now adding Ty’s routine to their day. 
 
Ty Osman II leaves us a legacy of joy that he is living right now.
 
Posted by Terry Sanford Smith
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Ty Osman II – A Treasure

March 7, 2012

~
Our hearts are broken
Ty Osman our beloved
Has gone – left a gaping hole
Our grief overwhelms
How can you heal the pieces
Of our souls that are shattered

We don’t understand
Why his life was taken now
We are angry, sad and torn
Who gets the blame here
We thought you would protect him
Where were your angels this time

I did protect him
I gave him what he wanted
A life eternal
His purpose fulfilled
He has made my presence known

I knew him better than you
I loved him more than you did
I made him in my image
Just like I made you

I never promised
That  you would not see trouble
What I promised you is this
I’ll never leave you
Death cannot destroy your life
You believe in me, you will not die

He heard my calling
He listened to me as a son
Ty spent time with me

We would daily meet
He struggled with perfection
He thought he must be good
For me to call him my son
I met him in his weakness

He chose to believe what mattered most.

The memories that we have
Treasures that last forever
Living with moments of joy
The look in his eyes
 
The joy that he shared
With passion to serve others
A young life that saw
The vision of love for all
Compelled by friendship with God
~
 
                                      Ty Osman
 
Posted by Terry Sanford Smith
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Bill Frey – A Gift

March 4, 2012

A friend is a gift
He was always glad to see me
No expectations
No plans for my improvement
Rejoicing in our friendship
 
With light in his eyes
Giving joy and acceptance
Generous and kind
 
Special history
So many loved him dearly
A giver not a taker
A wise man who knows
What matters most in this life
The value of a person
 
I watched him live it
First Bunny, his beloved
Melissa, his child
His friends he made feel special
Those who worked with him honored
 
Compassionate and faithful
A true man who sought the best
Loved to laugh and take pleasure
All in his presence
 
I have some regrets
I did not avail myself
Of more moments of his friendship
But one thing I know
We both shared a deep bonding
That is eternal and real
 
One promise he knew
Death would not be the winner
Love was much greater
Defined by the Christ who died
Who rose victoriously
 
He was not afraid
Bunny was there to comfort
Missy held him close
A sacred moment for them
As in peace he breathed his last
 
This tender moment for them
Will always be in my mind
Bunny on his chest whispered
“I love you and it’s O.K.
You can let go and go home”
 
February twenty ninth
His dad, Carl, died on that day
He knew that this was the day
He was not afraid
We all hated this process
The angels were all around
 
Bill was covered with God’s love
Surrounded by his dear friends
Held close by his beloved
Angels attending
 
Terry S. Smith
March 1, 2012
The Psalms I was meditating on as I wrote these thoughts were: Psalm 4; 34; 91; 103; 119:50 and John 11.
~
Posted by Terry Sanford Smith
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