James 4:13-15 (NKJV)¹³ Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; ¹⁴ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

Dr. Bob was the best doctor that I had ever had. Certainly, there were others that were important in my life. While pastoring the Lazbuddie/Oklahoma Lane charge in the Northwest Texas Conference, I was diagnosed with diabetes as my triglycerides as well as blood sugar rose dangerously high. I did appreciate the physician that attended me and put me on the medications to help control those problems at a time I desperately needed it. I believe that diagnosis occurred in 2003.

Just before we made the move to Booker in 2005, I went to the doctor for my annual physical and received the prescription for the upcoming year. That day, I recall asking the doctor about ever being able to get off the drugs. He said that maybe I would be able to lose weight and drop the diabetic medication, but I would always be on the medication for the triglycerides.

After the move, I put off going to the doctor as long as the medication would last, and for some reason, there was a little more than a one year supply. I recall the day that I searched for a doctor and wondered if I could find an MD who would also treat unconventionally. I remember heading from Booker to Liberal, Kansas, the day (late summer of 2006) I had to go to see Dr. Bob for the first time. I remembered the words of the previous doctor who was not particularly encouraging about getting off the medication. I was feeling rather down because my blood sugar level was a little higher than I like, and I was resigned to being on the particular drugs I was taking for the rest of my life. As I traveled to Liberal, I remember praying and it seemed that God was speaking that it would be better than I expected.

Today, I have no doubt that God was in control and brought this particular doctor into my life. Dr. Bob took time to listen and explain. As we talked that day, he changed, in his opinion, from not knowing if I could get off the meds to saying that he believed I could. He put me on a 100 gram carbohydrate diet which helped me lose weight and began the process of taking me off all the medication that I was taking. He really was my favorite doctor of all and one of the most popular doctors in that entire region.

I am writing this because I recently heard that Dr. Bob passed away in early July while vacationing in his native Canada. Even though I only knew him in a physician/patient relationship, I feel a great deal of grief. The grief I feel is compounded by something else that I failed to do. In the moments that I had the opportunity, I failed to witness to him.

Did I expect him to die far too early in life? No. But how do I know when someone’s life will come to an end? It is God’s domain, not mine. I recall a lady commenting to me that Dr. Bob had leanings toward Eastern religions. I had an opportunity after hearing that.

I am thankful that God brought this doctor into my life. He used his gift for me. To this day, my triglycerides are near perfect and the only time my blood sugar nears 120 is when I put a few pounds on. But I am concerned that I did not do my part in sharing my faith with him. As I say, I feel the grief of his passing, but even more, because of that which I didn’t do. I hope that in the future I will take advantage of the opportunities that God gives and expects of me, particularly in sharing my faith with those who need to hear the only message that will save them.

Find this and future articles written by Pastor Randy on his new blog site at:

http://rdthomas53.wordpress.com