tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28391139.post8154899630524564945..comments2023-09-21T09:20:38.886-05:00Comments on extending the Kingdom: Ben - the coffee guyBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01113134907054936100noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28391139.post-27230955072095249862009-12-18T16:29:22.244-06:002009-12-18T16:29:22.244-06:00Ben did not show up early this afternoon to get th...Ben did not show up early this afternoon to get the bulletins ready for the rest of the folders when they would arrive. And Ben was not here this afternoon to help fold bulletins. One week ago he was here. He made the trek back & forth to get more bulletins as they were being printed. Today he was not here to do that. Ben always had the coffee and tea ready as soon as the bulletins were folded. Today he did not. I got my Christmas card from him this week - he had the neatest handwriting. Why do we take someone so for granted when they are with us? Did I ever say thank you for the many times he made coffee, helped stuff mailboxes, fold countless bulletins? Thank you Ben - I could always count on you being here - I know you will have the very bestest Christmas ever!Doloreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07972076311653607354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28391139.post-23469713987972257402009-12-15T16:42:13.359-06:002009-12-15T16:42:13.359-06:00I just came from Ben's funeral. A comment tha...I just came from Ben's funeral. A comment that stood out to me. One of his Sunday school students said, "He looks gruff, but he has soft eyes." <br />And in memory of Ben his Sunday school class provided Pepsi and popcorn for the reception. Apparently Ben always brought Pepsi and popcorn to class.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01113134907054936100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28391139.post-61726390538190488102009-12-14T22:25:41.174-06:002009-12-14T22:25:41.174-06:00Ben invested time in my kids lives teaching Sunday...Ben invested time in my kids lives teaching Sunday school, moving up the grades with them and for that I will be forever grateful. He was to the point, called a spade a spade and you knew where you stood with him. Yes, he was stubborn but it seemed that determination was what kept him going. I'm going to miss his singing behind me in church as he often sat right behind our family....but if Jesus' birth is celebrated in heaven as it is here on earth, doesn't he have the best Christmas gathering plans ever?Rhondanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28391139.post-68237454508838525042009-12-14T19:19:57.991-06:002009-12-14T19:19:57.991-06:00I got to know Ben from our trips to Stony Mountain...I got to know Ben from our trips to Stony Mountain, where Ben visited an inmate at the Rockwood Institution. Ben enjoyed those visits. He connected with the fellow he visited. It always scared me when he would share about so many guys he would meet in Rockwood, guys he knew from his working life in Winnipeg. He knew people. He remembered stories. He told stories. Like his years with the yacht club in Kenora.....Or running the machine shop at Bristol Aerospace. Or getting to know the rich and famous in Winnipeg... He was smart. He would sometimes buy our supper.... we would have the greasy Baconator, he had the healthy stuff. Like I said, he was smart. He had a good head on his shoulders. He cared about the people he loved. He had a stubborn streak that was fun, he didn't like too many unknowns in life, he wanted both feet grounded well. <br /><br />Ben just started visiting a new fellow at Rockwood. They got along very well. I was told their corner was filled with laughter the whole evening. <br /><br />I will miss Ben. His visits to my shop are complete. His fellowship on our trips...... thanks Ben, for contributing into my life.Gerald Barkmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28391139.post-49451359661409254342009-12-14T14:51:51.509-06:002009-12-14T14:51:51.509-06:00I too knew him because he was almost always at the...I too knew him because he was almost always at the coffee table at church when I came, he'd have already made coffee and was waiting for others to arrive. We really took him for granted. He always brought food. I remember when Marv found out he had diabetes and the other pastors where watching their weight he started bringing fruit instead of sweets because it was what you guys would eat. One things for sure, Ben won't be lonely anymore, but we'll be missing him.Sister Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09322434397659909986noreply@blogger.com