Mark Riddering

I don't want to say too much, but I do want to write something about this amazing man. Mark Riddering (the father of my cousin's wife, Sami) passed away on Thanksgiving. His funeral was yesterday and it was amazing.

There were a couple reasons why it was so amazing. First, Mark was one of the most remarkable men I've ever known and his funeral reflected his life so wonderfully. Mark was diagnosed with ALS 14 years ago (or so). This is a degenerative disease that is extremely debilitating and painful. Most people die within a few years of diagnosis, but Mark was different. He lived long enough to see his children grow up, get married, and have kids. All of this is amazing, but what made him truly awesome was his unwavering faith in God's sovereignty in all things. Mark lived with joy.

Every time I would come up to hang out with the Ridderings, I would love to talk to Mark. I am a natural encourager. I love to talk to people and make them feel better and happy. I am good at this, but Mark was the professional. Any conversation was easily and quickly turned into how you were doing and how your family was. Mark remembered details about my life and would constantly shift the conversations back to me. I would leave the conversation feeling strengthened, exhorted, and encouraged. I loved his smile and his joy that shone through everything.

The service was awesome because it reflected Marks unshakable faith in a God who is in control and who is loving. It also reminded me of the reality of heaven. That Mark is in the presence of Jesus right now. I think that I so easily forget that this life isn't the end, but it's just the beginning. Mark never forgot that.

I loved hearing his family speak about him. I loved how each member of the family let their own personalities shine through in what they said, but the same themes remained: Mark loved God, Mark loved his wife, and Mark loved his family.

His wife Sue spoke; this woman who so willingly gave of her constant time in being the main caretaker of her husband for years, 24 hours a day, with love and joy. Well, after she spoke, everyone stood up and applauded. We cheered for her service to her husband and her sacrifice that was so readily made, as if there were no question about what she needed to do. Sami so beautifully commented on this by saying that we live in a time where marriages break up because one person isn't happy anymore. Her parents instead showed what Christian marriage should be - sacrificial service to each other.

It was an amazing day and I am blessed even more by the Ridderings. I love them so much and my prayers go out to them that God will continue to remind them of the blessings they experienced with their father, that they will be able to rejoice in their father's present state, and that their grief will be comforted.