Last month, in Rockford, Illinois, my father, World War Two veteran Richard Burton Ravitts, passed away by means of cardiac failure. Happily, before he died, he and my fiancee Carol Palin (pronounced pa-LEEN) had the satisfaction of meeting each other in person. This confirmed Carol as becoming part of our family.
A family which, as far as "carrying on the name" is concerned, will die with me.
Recently I was thinking about what it means to be without a posterity in the Old Testament sense. The GENES of my parents are carried on in my niece Elizabeth and my nephew Luke; but their last name is Bretscher. Now, there's no reason why young people can't remember their ancestors on the maternal side as well as on the paternal side; but I have not been given much cause to believe that I will be very much remembered as an ancestor. I have assorted material possessions which no one may value as a keepsake; and I have insights to share from a long life, to which I don't know who will listen.
But amid the slow process of getting my house less cluttered, I saw something of Jan's which was marked with the Scripture: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This was timely for me to see. Hardly anyone remembers anymore that I used to be in Christian music ministry with Kevin Johnson, singing songs that we made up ourselves. The grass withers, the flower fades; but Heaven is there, never fading.
Don't get me wrong-- I rejoice that I have another woman I can love and marry. Not every double widower gets that blessing. Still, I have been reminded that earthly expectations and ambitions are written in melting snow.
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