The Journey
By Clem Head
The end of my life journey began in July, 2008 when I was 73 years old. Before that time I had been my usual, hyper-energetic self: cutting firewood, playing music, even biking 14 miles. I went to church, and I loved my Lord Jesus, but I have to say that my relationship with Jesus sometimes took a back seat to the things I wanted to accomplish. I was admittedly proud of what I could still do at my age. Then I began to lose my energy. I got fatigued just walking around a grocery store. All I wanted to do was lie around.
I went to multiple doctors who, despite many tests, including an MRI and artery biopsy, came up with no clear diagnosis. All the while I grew weaker and weaker. I lost my voice and couldn’t sing. It saddened me to have to cancel my music shows as I hated to let my audience down.
Then, following a bout with pneumonia that sent me to the hospital, I was lying on our couch and felt a lump in my right side. More tests and another biopsy at last gave a clear diagnosis – I was dying of advanced liver cancer and given 1-3 months to live.
My wife, Diane, held my hand as we got the diagnosis. She recalls me saying “Good thing I know where I’m going. Guess I’m going to get to heaven sooner than I thought.” Since that time, I’ve discovered that knowing your time is short is a gift.
The beauty of the gift is that I’ve been able to draw much closer to God. I’m closer than I’ve ever been to my Jesus and I’m totally at peace for the first time in my life. I’ve been inundated with love and affection from our church families and friends, my former co-workers on the waterfront, people I’ve met playing music and, most of all, my family.
Not everyone is blessed with knowing their time is short. Not everyone gets to know where they are on their life’s journey, but everyone should live like their time is also short. Draw close to God and each other. It is my fervent prayer for you that you read this and accept the Gift.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Clem
December 16, 2009
NOTE: Clem Head is a dear friend of mine, and he and his family were among the first converts and members of Open Door Baptist Church. We first met in the spring of 1970. Because of Clem and Irene Head, many of their children, nieces and nephews are saved and serving the Lord. Joyce and I thank God that we were privileged to know Clem. We extend our heartfelt love to Clem and his family.
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.