Monday, January 31, 2011

rip my friend, the babe magnet has passed away



It's Monday morning, and after being kept up for hours by the 20% chance of rain, the ground is still wet. Which still amazes me, despite the computer telling us only 20%, we still have to look out and see it was 100%. Have we come so far we can't just look out the window to see if it's raining, or not?
And I wonder where were the psychics, prognosticators, politicians, and those whose job it is to cover foreign countries when Tunisia, then Egypt, and now Jordan and others are protesting and their leaders falling. Egypt caught them all by surprise, no one saw that one coming, and from the look on Mrs. Clinton's face, this is more serious than we were initially led to believe. Just another reminder that only God knows what is going on, and that He has things under control. And no one knows the day.
This was also the weekend that my friend Lee went to be with the Lord. We knew it would be coming, but you never know when. He had been sick for quite awhile with liver cancer, believed to be tied in from exposure to Agent Orange, from his tour in Viet Nam, during his 20 years with the Marines. When diagnosed over a year ago, and told it may would be fatal, Lee and I would talk. He was a gentle, kind man, and I asked him, after being given six months to live, if he was afraid to die? He wasn't afraid to die, he knew Jesus, but the other love of his life was his concern. His answer, "who was going to take care of Sue." His wife, aka Ballerini to me, was his best friend, and true to Lee, his main concern before himself. When I asked him, "who was taking care of her now?" a peace came over him, and his smile let me know that He knew Jesus was, and is taking care of her. Even today. And all the other Ballerini's too. We had a joke, as Ballerini would always hug me good bye, then tell me she wanted to adopt me. And I would turn to Lee, and ask "can I call you DAD?" "NO!" was the answer, and we would all smile.
But Lee had a style all his own, he was a babe magnet. First he hooked Ballerini, and then her three daughters she brought with her when they married. Which Lee always loved as his own. Vicki, whom I've yet to meet, but loved Lee very much, Joni, who has so much of her mother in her, and Margaret, who lovingly caressed Lee's feet the morning of his death. She is ten pounds of sugar in a five pound bag. They all were loved, and loved Lee. And to the end, he was still the babe magnet.
We had stopped on our way to a car show in Orange county Saturday morning. And as Margaret massaged his feet, and Ballerini held him, Theresa and I prayed. His breathing was irregular, and once again I reminded him that Jesus was going to take care of all the Ballerini's, including his precious Sue. Hearing is the last thing to go, and the words comforted him. When we left, he was at peace. And within another 25 minutes, present with the Lord.
I miss my friend, Lee. We talked often of his recent motorcycle trip cross country, and his favorite riding place, the Black Hills. With all the Ballerini's always fussing over him, I was the male voice, when I could get my turn. For this babe magnet, was constantly cared for by all the girls in the family. Like I said, I miss my friend, and it was Joni's words that give me comfort. "Lee loved you very much," she said. And I loved him, too.
It has been said that the true measure of success is how your kids describe you to their friends. If so, Lee was a very successful man. Father, husband, friend, Marine, motorcyclist, and babe magnet. And the perfect example of a husband God tells us to be. As head of the house, he took his responsibility serious, and didn't abuse it. As the head of the house, he loved Sue as Jesus loves His church. And was willing to die for her. Knowing what lied ahead, and convinced that Sue was taken care of.
Ballerini is a richer woman today, as she also trusts in the Lord. My prayer is that all you husbands out there love your wives as much as Ballerini was loved by Lee. It is probably safe to say she never saw Lee as a babe magnet, but to the end, all the Ballerini women were attracted to him. He was hers, and she was his. And that is the way it should be-the two becoming one, in Christ. Till death do them part.
And I never got to call him dad. But something better-friend. Love you Ballerini!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogpsot.com