Paul

You may have never heard of Paul John Tomastic. He did not have a Wikipedia page or a YouTube channel. He did not have a college education, so you will not find any scholarly journal articles or books authored by him.  He did not have his own reality show. He was not a professional athlete. He was not mentioned in any of the Forbes’ lists this year.

Before about 4 years ago, I’d never heard of Paul John Tomastic, either. You see, my husband and I joined one of the many Sunday School classes at our 4000+ member church in the Midwest. The name of our class is called “Truthseekers”. We joined that class because the teacher did/does a fine job of teaching God’s Word and it was very diverse in that about half of the class is disabled in some way-physically, mentally, or both. Everyone has a story. I wish I had taken the time to know Paul’s story. Paul was physically and mentally disabled-bound to a wheelchair, yet he came to church as often as he could. You see, coming to church was more than a notion for Paul and our other friends as it involved the need for reliable wheelchair-friendly transportation. But, he came. . .until he could not anymore.

A couple of years ago, Paul was hospitalized, and it was determined that he could no longer breathe without being on a ventilator. Paul had a choice. He could either remain on the ventilator or go and be with Jesus. In this day and age, phrases like “consider your quality of life” are thrown around often. Courage and perseverance are rare qualities, yet Paul possessed them both. He decided to spend the rest of his days on a ventilator in a nursing home until the Lord called him home to Heaven. I am very confident that during these last years, he has blessed beyond belief those with whom he came in contact. He blessed my life. He had this incredible joy that only comes from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. His smile was absolutely amazing! Ten months ago, we relocated from the Midwest to the West Coast. Recently, we sent graduation announcements for our oldest child and requested prayer for our second oldest child to our family and friends. One of our dear friends from our Sunday School class visited Paul and he shared the photo of our oldest as well as the prayer request with Paul. Our friend sent us the photo of Paul flashing the biggest smile ever (in a photo) congratulating our oldest and committing to pray for our second oldest. That warmed my heart beyond words. Less than a month later, he is no longer with us.

I began by telling you about what Paul did not have or do because for some reason, our society seems to judge one’s worth based on those things. Paul was an amazing man who lived and suffered well for his Savior Jesus Christ. And now, he gets to worship Him face to face. It saddened me to hear of Paul’s passing. My life is richer for knowing him. But, it was almost immediate that I went from mourning to rejoicing in the fact that Paul is no longer limited by wheelchairs and ventilators, physical and mental limitations. He is healed! And that makes me smile.

When I think of Paul, I am reminded of James 1:2-4 (ESV):

Count it all joy, my brother, when you meet trials of various kinds,

for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete,

lacking in nothing.

Paul John Tomastic
1957-2019

What Matters Most

My cousin, Tammi, is dying. The truth is we all are dying, but she is in hospice care even as I write.  My husband and I have 5 children, ranging from 17 to 4 years of age. While one child is trying to decide where to go to college after graduation in 4 months; another child is in speech therapy to help overcome a speech delay.  There are piano lessons to take; homework to finish; and behavior issues to manage.  It can all seem so very important. You can relate. Who has declared their candidacy for the 2020 Presidential race? Will President Trump build “The Wall”? Will we ever get a handle on global warming? Who is going to host the 2019 Oscars? Was this year’s Super Bowl Half-time Show indeed an epic fail? It can all seem so important, but it isn’t. It doesn’t matter. Repeatedly, the book of Ecclesiastes says, “All is vanity”.

Tammi is where we all will be one day. The way in which we get there will vary, but we will all be there. . .about to enter into eternity. It doesn’t matter if Tammi eats a gluten-free, plant-based diet or one of ice cream, cookies, and gummi bears. It doesn’t matter if Tammi earned a Ph.D., in Physics or not. It doesn’t matter if she is married to the love of her life or not.  Tammi babysat me when I was little and took good care of me. She has been a loving grandmother to her grandchildren. Na Na, as Tammi is affectionately called, is loved by her baby sister, nieces, and nephews. Her children adore her and are amazed by her strength.  While that is important, it pales in comparison to what matters most and that is. . Does she know Jesus as her Savior?

³ And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  John 17:3 ESV

⁹because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  Romans 10:9, 10 ESV

When I talked to Tammi back in the fall and asked her if she knew Jesus as her Savior.  She said, ‘Yes, I know Jesus. I have a personal relationship with Him.” Based upon her testimony, she has indeed concerned herself with what matters most. Now, the question is. . .Have you? Have you acknowledged/confessed that you are a sinner, and have you repented of your sin? Have you believed that Jesus is who He says He is-the One who absorbed all your sin and all of God’s wrath for your sin in your place? If not, let this be a nudge to address what matters most.

So, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.  Psalm 90:12 ESV