Today, Andy and I {along with the kids} experienced a “first time” for all of us…  We paid our last respects , along with our church family, to our friend Craig.  The Craigerator, as Andy liked to call him…   A man who had no earthly home, but now has a mansion in the sky. 

Craig was one of a kind, and for some reason or another, he connected with my church and my church family.  I would like to think it was Jesus that drew him there… each Wednesday and Sunday.  Round trip, I would say maybe 10 miles.  And he walked every step.  Sometimes when we are at a loss as to what to do for people the best thing is to simply do as Jesus did…

Love one another.

And that is what we did…

We loved Craig.

For as long as I have known Craig, I have known that he was a simple man… requiring very little of this world.  For what ever brought him to the life he lived during the time to which I knew him, I’ll probably never know.   What I do know of Craig, is that he had no home, no family {other than my precious church family who all considered him to be a part of theirs} no car and no worries.

He will never know, but he taught my family some very valuable lessons.  Through Craig, my kids were able to learn compassion, giving, sacrifice, kindness, patience and love. 

At one point Craig lived in an abandoned house nearby and many times the kids were with us/Andy when we would pick him up or drop him off.  Snickering and whispering in the back seat as he and Andy picked at each other.  I can remember several times they waited  in the car as their Daddy went in to light his heater for the night.  As if it was nothing different then stopping off at the grocery store.  These are the things I hope they remember.  These are the moments that I hope stand out.  They not only saw this with us, but with our church.  Sometimes the only way to teach is through our actions. 

Craig’s church family remembered him with a memorial service this past Sunday night.  We listened as his best friend Jerry told stories that made us laugh and cry.  God saw it fit for these two mens paths to cross and in turn he became a part of our lives.  A dear sweet family gave him a burial plot and today he had a proper burial service.  It really was for us, some reason we feel the need for closure.  It was nice.  We all listened as the pastor reflected on what we had learned from Craig.  What his life had meant to us.  He gave us so much.   

Craig gave our church an opportunity to grow as christians.  To love as Jesus loved.  How blessed we were to have known him.   

Craig no longer walks the streets alone…

Thank you Lord for blessing our family, our church and our church family with the life of Dennis Craig Roberts.

The Craigerator.