Souled Out!! <><: January 2011

1/26/2011

Nathan's Funeral and Visiting Hours

GLOUCESTER: Nathaniel James Holscher, 18, stepped into eternity on January 23rd. Born in Beverly on January 5, 1993, he was the son of Roxanne Dora (Sandford) Holscher and James Herman Holscher. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brothers, Jacob Herman Holscher and Walker Harriman Holscher; his stepmother Melissa Holscher; maternal grandparents, Leonard and Jean Sandford; paternal grandparents, Herman and Carol Holscher; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Nathan was on the Shark’s swim team for several years. He ran track for O’Maley Middle School and came in first place many times for the 400. He loved to work out at the YMCA and thought it was fun to compete on the treadmill against those next to him. He also worked as a lifeguard at the Sterling YMCA.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday afternoon in the Community Church of East Gloucester, 7 Chapel Street, Gloucester at 3 p.m. Visiting hours will be held on Saturday in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 2 – 5 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend.

1/24/2011

Fly to Jesus

Woke up Sunday quite late, slept in till like 1pm. I had woken up the day before at like 7am. So, Sunday seemed to begin like any other: got some energy drink mix, checked my phone, saw I had a voice mail and that I had missed some calls. No big deal. I then proceeded to listen to my voice mail. It was from my brother Matt in Massachusetts. He said that my cousin Nathan (he's just turned 18) had just died in an accident. My brother didn't want me to hear about this on Facebook. At first it did not really hit me. Distance seems to make disasters like this not real, you know? I later sat at my computer and started thinking about Nathan and tears came to my eyes (even as I write this tears come...I can't imagine the pain my Aunt Roxy, Uncle Jim, Nathan's brothers Jacob and Walker are feeling, as well as Nathan's grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends are all feeling). Nathan was my first first cousin. I remember we were quite close when he was very young (like 3,4). As you can see in the photo attached to this post I really enjoyed playing with him at my grandma Sandfords in New Hampshire. Nathan grew up to be quite a free spirit which would get him in trouble at times...I remember when I was attending Bible School in New Hampshire there was at least one time when I was asked to keep an eye on Nathan as he attended the Convention going on at the Bible School(he stayed in my room and I would sleep by the door to make sure he didn't sneak out). I am so thankful that I got to spend that time with my cousin. Another special memory comes from when I was at my grandparents in New Hampshire and Nathan wanted to go for a run (he really loved running) so I went with him. I think I got to our relatives house (the E. Sandfords) and then turned around and headed back to our grandparents. He beat me and I don't think he was even winded. The last time I saw him was when we were at my Uncle Phils cabin in Maine (the summer of 2009). I took him, my older brother Dana, and Dana's son. We ended up getting a couple of movies from Red Box: Gran Torino and The Knowing...we actually ended up watching both...

So, now here I am, my oldest 1st cousin gone, just like that. Why didn't I get to know him more? Why didn't I ever call him? Spend more time with him? I can't do anything about that, I have to learn my lessons and move forward treasuring the times I did have with Nathan. I know with all my heart I will see him again (my dad led him to Christ and has the date written in his Bible). And right now Nathan is having so much fun in the arms of God. May we take this life that Nathan lost so quickly to inspire us to live life like each day is our last.Love those around you with the love of Christ, no matter what, life is too short for anger or hatred (Jesus was such an example of a life with Unconditional Love and even in His deep pain, He loved!).

I want to end this note with a prayer for those hurting as a result of this tragedy (especially Nathan's family)

Dear Jesus Christ,
First of all, thank you so much for the opportunity to be a part of Nathan's life, thanks for all the precious memories. Right now, dear God, I pray You wrap Nathan's family in Your arms of love and comfort them somehow. God you understand their pain, You lost Your oldest son tragically as well and through Your loss, Nathan's family will see him again, comfort his family with this fact. And Lord, I pray that out of this pain You somehow bring life. Comfort all the friends and relatives that are grieving at this time help them all to know You are there with them in all this, Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age". Lord, help us! I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

May these words from the song Wrap Me in You Arms comfort you:
There is a God who loves me
Who wraps me in His arms
That is the place where I'm changed
And that's where I belong

And Nathan this is you:
And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and LIVE!

I love you Nathan...Go to God cousin...dance on those golden streets of Heaven...and when I get there to heaven, lets hang out and make up for lost time...deal? DEAL!

Your Cousin,
Adam Parker <><

I miss you

1/09/2011

God's Loving Arms

God is our father. The Bible says that we may come boldly to the Throne of Grace (the presence of God). I see in my mind's eye myself laying prostrate before God as He sits on His throne. He, who is my Abba Father, then beckons me to come to Him. So, knowing my state as a man who has failed so much I slowly make my way up to the One Who has never sinned. I stand before Him as a child who has been caught doing something wrong (He sees all that I do, all my sins He knows). He then lifts up my head with His hand and gazes into my eyes with His. His eyes that saw the creation. Those pure eyes that look right into your soul. He says to me, "I know what you have done My child, all the times you have fallen and given in to the world, flesh, and devil, I was right there waiting for you to ask for My help. Do not fear, My child, you have been paid for! I gave My life for you. I LOVE YOU!" When He says those three words it cuts into my heart and I fall to the floor bawling like a child. I know my actions over the years have hurt my Savior. I know that these sins have also hurt those around me.

As I lay there I hear the voice of my Father speaking to me. "My child, I paid the price on the cross, I can make you whole. I am making you new every day. Come up here, onto my lap". I look up to my Abba with tear blurred vision and slowly raise my body that is weak from emotion and I struggle to climb on to the lap of my Savior and I feel His strong arms help me to His lap. He then tells me to rest in Him. I lay my head on His chest and I hear His heart beat. With every beat of His heart its as if I hear Him telling me, "I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you." And I sigh. The weight of my sins, the hurt in my life, all the pain from life fall away from me as I hear over and over, "I love you, I love you, I love you." As I lay against the chest of my Father I look down to the hands that are holding me against Him and I see the nail scars. Those scars tell me, "I love you, I went through the greatest pain in the world so that I may hold you and heal you and give you a life of freedom." I then look up and see the scars on my Savior's head where the crown of thorns had pieced His skin. He tells me that He bore that crown of thorns for me. Overwhelmed with this love of my Father I hug Him and as I do I feel the many scars on His back and start weeping. In my mind I see Him before the Romans, shuddering as He takes the blows from their whips. I see the blood flowing from His back and yet as He looks up from the whipping block He has no anger or remorse, only Love.

I hear Him whisper into my ear, "I took each of those blows for you my beloved child." I then say, "I am so unworthy of Your love, so many times I have sinned against You willfully, how can you still love me even when I mess up over and over and over"-Here He breaks in with a strong voice and says, "Hush! You want to know why I love you so? Its because you are my child. I want to be with you all the time and have an intimate relationship with you. I want to walk with you in the cool of the day like I did with my first child Adam. I long with My all to get that back." As He speaks I hear His voice fill with emotion and tears start spilling from His eyes. He continues, "Sometimes I am so overcome with love for my creation I just cant contain it. My love for mankind was shown when I died on the cross so that they may be with me forever. You have no idea the joy I get when a person decides that they want me to be part of their life and start a relationship with me. When that happens I begin spending all my time with them. I am always with them, I will never leave! I cry when they cry. When they fall I stand there eager to help them up when they ask. My child, there is nothing greater than my Love."

My Father then stops and looks intently at my eyes. "You know My love, My love is in you. Would you please tell people about My love and how I showed it on the cross?" Normally I would have turned in shame and said that I was unworthy to tell other's about His love, however, since my sins had been washed away by His blood and because I knew His spirit was in me and making me new everyday, with Isaiah I say, "HERE I AM LORD, SEND ME!" (Isaiah 6).