MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR KEITH WISNOWSKI
Good morning. I want to welcome you today as we come together to celebrate the life of Keith Wisnowski. On behalf of the family I want to say thank you for so many things you have done to support them this week. And for this wonderful crowd here today the family is very grateful and they appreciate so much your presence and your prayers. Before I speak today you will hear from 3 other people. First will be Scott Cassin, Fire chief for Pasco county fire rescue. Then we will hear from Lela McKinney, a very close friend and then Rachel Boehmer, (Family, sister?) will sing. I also want you to know that at the closing of the service today we will ask anyone who wishes to do so, to share a few words for the family. We will have microphones that we will pass around and allow you to speak from right where you are seated.
I am reading today a psalm that we are very familiar with. Psalm 23.
Prayer. Heavenly father, if there is any need we have today it is for you to come and be with us. To be our great shepherd, the one who gently guides us the one who walks with us through every difficulty we face. We must turn to you today Lord because we really have no other place to go. We come today with broken hearts that need healing and many come to you with questions. I pray today for your comfort for this family. Help them to know how much you love all of us and how much you care for each of us. May they sense your presence more than ever before. We make our prayer today in Jesus name. Amen.
Chief Scott Cassin.
Chief Cassin, speaker
Lela McKinney, speaker
Rachel Boehmer, singer
Memorial Service for Keith Wisnowski
Psalm 22/23 1st Corinthians 13:12 James 4:14
Today we find ourselves in the valley of death that the Psalmist talked about….it is a difficult place to be but as the psalmist talks about it is also a place where we can experience the presence of God. These words were written down by the shepherd boy, David. Like all of us, David went through some difficult times. In the previous psalm, Psalm 22 we hear David cry out to the Lord with words like these, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We don’t know exactly what he was going through but we do know he was hurting. We know that he experienced grief in the loss of his son who was only 7 days old. So he was familiar with this valley of the shadow of death. When I think of the valley of the shadow of death I always think of a setting like this or in a funeral home. But this valley is an actual place in the Holy Land/Israel. When people would walk through that area as they were traveling they would often be in danger for their lives. They could be robbed, beaten or even murdered. We believe it was the same place where the story of the Good Samaritan took place. But David said that when he walked through that place he was not afraid…because God was with him…his rod, his staff they comfort me. These were items of protection. God still gives that protection and help to us today. In fact I believe that He is more present at times like this than perhaps any other time.
About 20 years ago we were living in KY… I have 4 children. 3 boys, one girl. All grown now. And at the time this took place, Shelby, my little girl was about the same age you are now. We decided to take a family vacation there and see some of the state we had not seen. One of the places we went to was mammoth cave. We took a tour that lasted an hour or so. When we first went in the tour guide spoke to us and he told us that when we get to the heart of the cave that he would speak to us again. When we arrived there he was standing there holding a candle. It was a small candle but it provided enough light for us to be able to see. He told us to gather close together because the light was about to go out and that it would be very dark. He then blew the candle out and it was the single darkest place I had ever been. He said now hold your hand up in front of your face….I couldn’t see a thing. My 2 youngest children were 4 and 6 at the time...one was standing on 1 side of me and 1 on the other and my two older children were standing with my wife. When he blew out the candle the first thing I felt were 2 little hands that grabbed mine.
They were afraid. It was very dark and they were in a place they had never been before. When we lose someone we love, it is as though the lights go out. It is a very unfamiliar place. And often for days we cannot see clearly…..we are in the dark….it is almost as though time stands still and we need a hand to hold on to. There is a certain denial that sets in because we just cannot believe it. And sometimes it takes a while before the darkness goes away. I can only imagine that you feel some of that same darkness here today.
Solomon, considered to be the wisest man in the OT wrote these words…
Ecclesiastes 3:1- 22
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
[2] a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
.....a time to tear down and a time to build, [4] a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn/grieve and a time to dance, [5] a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them.
The OT reminds us that there is a time for everything….as we read….a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them. Stones were used as markers in the Bible times. Boundary markers. A stone would be put into place and that told everyone it was your property. Some would even go out at night and move the stones…. move the boundaries so that they would have even more property. These stones were important. Also in the OT there was a time when Joshua was leading the people and they needed to cross the Jordan river. When they arrived there the river was in flood stage. Joshua set his foot into the water and the waters parted and they were able to cross. Joshua then told the people to take some stones and place them there on the dry ground to mark the place where God provided for them. These stones were used to mark important events in life. All of us have them. Today we stop to remember these markers in Keith’s life.
• One of those markers, certainly the most important one in his life, was his family. He deeply loves his wife LeeAnn and their two children, Shelby and Reid. They have been the focus of his life. Married for ____ years. And still very much in love.
• He is a very gifted individual. Many talents. He was a contractor and designed and built the house they live in. A beautiful home.
• He loved the outdoors…. Nature. He loved animals. He loved cats. Even snakes. I saw on facebook several pictures of snakes he had picked up ….and he taught Shelby not to be afraid of them. In fact in one picture I saw Shelby was playing and holding a cupcake in one hand with icing all over her face and in the other hand she is holding a big lizard. His comment….
Keith was actually bit by a coral snake, which is of course poisonous. As serious as that was, his response was,“well now I can cross that off my bucket list.” He said, “I always wanted to be bit by a poisonous snake.” He spent two days in ICU. He enjoyed hunting…. He loved guns…he bought, sold and repaired guns and he loved to shoot.
• He was very devoted to his work. His actual title was driver/engineer/firefighter/paramedic. Firefighters always have more than one job to do. Keith has been a firefighter for 14 years, since 1999. He is a member of the Pasco Rescue honor guard.
• He loved cars, especially Mustangs. He owns 2. Works on them. And his favorite is the Shelby Mustang which is where his daughter,Shelby got her name.
• He and other friends enjoyed an app called Chive. He used it frequently. Also facebook.
FACEBOOK COMMENTS
I asked LeeAnn to give me a few words that describe Keith. This is the list. Kind. Very loving. Enjoyed practical jokes. I asked LeeAnn, is there more? She said yep, stubborn. Liked to be right. He was always sure about things even if he was mistaken. Someone else at the table with us said he was selfless. The most selfless person they have ever known. He always thought of others even if it inconvenienced him.
The Bible reminds us that for those who believe and place their faith in Him that we will have a home in heaven and will receive a new body. He assures us that in this home in heaven…
* there will be no more sickness
* no more death no more funerals to attend
* we will never grow tired or weary
* no more hospitals
* no more Rx to fill
* no more need for doctors
* no more tears
* no more darkness
Grief counselors will tell you that there are at least 3 things that we must do or pay attention to when we go through the valley of the shadow of death. Three things that can help us.
(1) time -doesn=t usually happen quickly...the grief process takes time…..so don=t try to rush it...sometimes a few months....sometimes a few years. It is different with each person.
(2) Tears- when Jesus learned of the death of His friend Lazarus, the scripture tells us that Jesus wept. Tears are good.
(3) talk- share memories, stories, talk is therapeutic. So as you have occasion in the future, anniversaries, birthdays do not be afraid to talk about Keith.
Through the years, I have conducted funeral services for people of all ages...those who are much older and also for those who are much younger. …...one of the things that I have discovered is that regardless of age we are not ready to give them up. We cannot help it but we ask why things happen as they do. Paul the apostle said Anow we see thru a dark glass…..it=s as though we are in a fog, not clear, but one day we will see face to face. He was saying it is not all clear now but one day it will be. One day the fog will clear…. The mist, the smoke will clear. There are things we simply do not understand right now but one day we will.
Most of the time when death comes we don’t expect it. We are surprised. We are completely caught off guard. We like to think our loved ones will live forever and that we will also. But that is not what the Bible teaches. James tells us that our lives are like a vapor…a mist…like smoke…. here for a moment and then gone. And as we grow older we all realize just how true that is. It goes rapidly. And so today we must find the strength to entrust these things to a God who is much bigger than us who loves us and will see us through.
Catherine Marshall in her book “Beyond Ourselves” tells the story of a friend of hers whose teenage son died of diabetes before insulin was discovered. Her son, Kenneth asked her one day, mommy what does it feel like to die? Not knowing what to say she ran into the kitchen pretending to be doing something at the stove and she said Lord tell me what to tell my son. She said Kenneth you remember just a few years ago when you would play so hard that when you would come in you would fall into mama and daddy’s bed. You didn’t undress you just fell asleep, but then the next morning you would wake up and you would find yourself in your own bed, in your own room, where you belong. That was because your father would come along with his strong arms and would lift you up and carry you to where you belong. She said...that is what death is like. And if we claim Him as our Savior, Our heavenly father comes along and he carries us to the room where we belong. In my father’s house there are many mansions/rooms.
One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof of the house. The father stood on the ground below with his arms outstretched, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was the flame, smoke, the fog, blackness. So as you can imagine, the little boy was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I’ll catch you. Jump. I’ll catch you." But the boy shouted back, "Daddy, there’s too much smoke, I can't see you."
The father replied, "But I can SEE YOU and that's all that matters." And the boy jumped to safety. I want to assure you today that God sees you. He sees your pain and He knows exactly where you are and He will never leave your side. I am so very sorry for your loss.
Would you pray with me?
Father we pause right now to thank you for the life of Keith Wisnowski. We grieve today because he made OUR lives better. We hurt because we miss him already. So we look to you to ask for your help, your direction and your comfort. We ask for it in Jesus name.
SHARING BY THOSE IN ATTENDANCE
