I call my friend Tim Amuchastegui “Superman!”
He is indeed a Super Man!!
About a year ago Tim was hit head on with the kryptonite of pancreatic cancer.
As we know, Superman has a lot of powers but the powers of kryptonite are just too much.
And so it was last night that my phone rang at 1:17 am central time and I heard Superman’s Lois Lane, his heart broken wife Cec on the phone letting me know that the angels had descended and ever so gently and even more ever so peacefully taken her love of forty years, to escort him to the heavenly kingdom where Tim was welcomed with thunderous applause.
Superman now rests in the arms of the greatest Super Man that ever lived – Jesus.
Together they laugh…they smile… they talk…they hold on tight to each other as Tim’s eyes start to take in the surroundings of eternity… Already Tim feels like he’s been there 10,000 years just like the song Amazing Grace says…
I have so much to say, to write, to share…but my heart is broken too.
So…If you will allow me, I would like to share what I wrote last April on the day of Tim’s surgery…
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Superman
Tim Amuchastegui
Faster than a speeding bullet!
More powerful than a locomotive!
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
More powerful than a locomotive!
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
“Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s SUPERMAN!”
Yes, it’s Superman, strange visitor from another planet, who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men.
Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way!
Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way!
You have probably figured out by now that the man in the picture above is not the Superman of the Television series.
It’s just my friend Tim.
Mild mannered builder/architect from Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Mild mannered builder/architect from Klamath Falls, Oregon.
He’s not very fast. He might post a 13 second run in the 40 yard dash.
He’s not very strong. Probably weighs in at less than 150 these days.
At best, his vertical leap is around 8 inches.
He’s not very strong. Probably weighs in at less than 150 these days.
At best, his vertical leap is around 8 inches.
I love this photo of him wearing a Superman Shirt.
At the time this photo was taken he was about two hours away from having life threatening pancreatic cancer surgery.
He’s in his hotel room surrounded by family.
This photo showed up on my phone a week ago today.
His incredible wife Cec texted it to me at 5:00 in the morning.
This photo showed up on my phone a week ago today.
His incredible wife Cec texted it to me at 5:00 in the morning.
As I gazed at my friend, my brother in Christ and looked at that “S” on his shirt, I wondered what that “S” might stand for:
“Strong?”
“Scared?”
“Scared S***less?”
“Silly?”
“Strong?”
“Scared?”
“Scared S***less?”
“Silly?”
My phone rang 20 minutes after this photo was taken.
It was “The Incredible Wife Cec”!
Her voice was upbeat… “Now David, we have everyone in the hotel room here (family that is). And we are going to put the phone down right in the middle of all of us and we are going to circle up around the phone and hold hands and oh, by the way you are on speaker phone and we want you to pray for us before we go to the hospital. Ok David, are you ready? We are ready for your prayer…”
It was “The Incredible Wife Cec”!
Her voice was upbeat… “Now David, we have everyone in the hotel room here (family that is). And we are going to put the phone down right in the middle of all of us and we are going to circle up around the phone and hold hands and oh, by the way you are on speaker phone and we want you to pray for us before we go to the hospital. Ok David, are you ready? We are ready for your prayer…”
And so I prayed and I prayed and my voice was strong and then it was weak and then it quivered and then I cried as I invoked upon the name of the Lord God almighty to do a “super” miraculous healing work on a most “super man” who is a brother, a husband, a dad, a father-in-law, a grandfather and a friend.
And then I said, “And everyone said, (And together we said) “Amen!”
There was a moment of silence as we all collected ourselves and then Tim’s deep, slow, melodic voice came over the speaker…”David, thank you…”
There was a moment of silence as we all collected ourselves and then Tim’s deep, slow, melodic voice came over the speaker…”David, thank you…”
And then, “The Incredible Wife Cec” came on and offered her thanks and her love and we hung up.
And they were off to the hospital, for surgery, to remove a cancer that has taken the life away from so many other people…
And they were off to the hospital, for surgery, to remove a cancer that has taken the life away from so many other people…
My iWitness…
I’ve gazed upon this picture of Tim from time to time all week…
My eyes always turn first to the light that seems to be coming out of his left armpit right near his heart.
The backdrop of a hotel room looks ever so familiar to me as I spent six years living in hotels from week to week.
The two clinched fists speak volumes of the inner strength that Tim has found through our Lord and God.
The two clinched fists speak volumes of the inner strength that Tim has found through our Lord and God.
His face evokes confidence and calmness in the midst of life’s greatest storm.
And then there is the “S”…
What does that “S” stand for?
What does that “S” stand for?
Here’s my take…
Surrounded by a loving family…
Secure in the loving knowledge that he is in the hollow of God’s hand and God never lets go!
Surrounded by a loving family…
Secure in the loving knowledge that he is in the hollow of God’s hand and God never lets go!
Saved by the blood of Jesus Christ who loves Tim more than Tim will ever know.
Serene – Jesus is able to give us a sense of peace that passes all understanding.
Serene – Jesus is able to give us a sense of peace that passes all understanding.
Strong – When we are weak, God makes us strong. I know that that is an oxymoron and rather paradoxical, but all I can say at the moment is that Tim is at his strongest right now.
Last but not least…
Superman!
Superman!
Tim is a super man because of a Super Man who came into this world about 2,000 years ago with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. A man who changed the course of history, bent the most bent out of shape people back into shape, loved the unlovable, spared the condemned and fights a never ending battle for the way, the truth and the life so that we may enjoy life and life eternal.
I don’t know about you, but I think that is Super!
And that’s my iWitness…
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
ps – A week out of from the above photo there are two more words that come to mind when I look at the letter “S”…
“Surgery…Successful!!!!”
“Surgery…Successful!!!!”
But he (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12. 9-10)
SeeingGodAtWorkEveryday…
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
David@seeinggodatworkeveryday.com