Today when I was on my way to work, I was thinking about 5 years from now and how fun it would be to see and hang out with people from high school at our 10 year reunion. They were happy thoughts of future laughs looking back at what we used to be and celebrating who we had become. I pictured certain names and faces. I even looked forward to actually spending time with people I rarely spoke to.

You see when I was in school, for some reason I didn’t like myself. I didn’t think anyone else liked me either, specifically the people that I though were “cool”. There were a group of guys that I had gone to school with since kindergarten, but by the time we got to high school I had convinced myself that I had no chance at being their friend, so instead I choose to avoid them.

These guys were awesome! They were always the kids having the most fun. They were always laughing and making everyone around them smile. Even for wanting to avoid them these guys had a magnetism that drew people in and made people feel happy. They were the guys that were always there for each other. They were the guys that I wanted to be more like. They were the guys that I wanted to hang out with more. They were the guys I rarely spoke to.

You see its been five years since we all graduated. Its been 5 years since I’ve seen most of them. I will get to see them all again much sooner than I was thinking this morning on my way to work.We will all be at Fellowship Church in Dallas at 10 AM on Tuesday, but for a much less exciting occasion.

As it turns out, we are not immortal. Today, the passing of James Apple has reminded us all of our own mortality. We think about the future hoping and planning on great times with all those we know and love, yet we don’t realize that any given moment of any given day can take from us that which we too easily take for granted. Facebook keeps us informed about what people are doing and we too often substitute it for friendships themselves.

Today on my way to work, I had a choice. I could have called any one of the 100s of contacts in my phone that I could be a better friend to. However, I refuse to regret my past decisions and instead I will strive to walk forward in a new and better way.

I feel like I barely knew James, there are many of you out there who were much closer to him and you are all in my thoughts and prayers in this difficult time. I do, however, feel confident to say one thing about James: He had a gift, he had the ability to bring a smile to the most reluctant of faces. I once witnessed James even bring an angry teacher to belligerent laughter in a matter of moments. So today as we sit here remembering James Apple and realizing that our future plans will be different, let us do so in a way James would appreciate.Many of you have cried, and many of you will still cry and that is okay. James, for me, was one of those guys I rarely spoke to. He was one of those guys I wanted to be more like. James was always able to make me smile and laugh. I would hope that we can all remember the love and joy that he so graciously shared with everyone. I will not remember him with tears in my eyes, I will remember him with once again a reluctant smile.

James also loved music, and as I close I will challenge each of you. If you knew James better than me, If you knew James as little as me, or if you didn’t know James at all, I have a challenge for you

Would you dare to believe that you still have a reason to sing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfWAG-bnttQ&feature=related

Press on and Just fight the good fight. Look forward to all the joyful moments that are still to come. Strive to celebrate each and every moment of each and every day. Enjoy those around you. Life is to short to avoid anyone. Life is too short to put things off till tomorrow. You never know what is around the corner so celebrate where you are at right now… even in the toughest of moments.

R.I.P. James Apple