You can lose a client.  You can lose a sale.  You can even put pen to paper and calculate that loss. 

But how do you measure the loss of your best friend?

Jerry is trying to wrap his mind around the loss of his friend, Wally, who died unexpectedly last night.  He had been having pain in his abdomen, and at his wife's prompting, went to the doctor for some tests.  This was Monday morning.  Suddenly he complained that he couldn't breathe, and they put him on oxygen.  He stood up to go to the bathroom, and collapsed.  His heart stopped.

The doctor jumped on top of him and hit him in the chest to "jump start" his heart.  After Wally came back around the doctor said, "Wally, I'm sorry I had to hit you so hard but I was afraid that if I waited for the paddles, we wouldn't be talking right now."  In pure Wally style, his answer was, "That's okay, Doc.  Either way, it's a win-win situation."

He was taken to the hospital where his situation continued to get worse, and last night around 6:00 p.m. Wally went to be with Jesus.

His beautiful wife, Susan, has lost the love of her life.  They have been in love since they were kids in high school.  Susan just buried her mother a month ago, and her father a year ago.  An only child, she has become an orphan and a widow in one year.  Three of the most important people in her life - gone.

He also leaves behind a brother and two wonderful grown children who adored him.

And then there's Jerry, and all the great friends who are left to mourn the loss of a great man of God.  Jerry loved Wally as deeply as if he were his brother.  After all, he was his brother in Christ.  Jerry and Wally and two other friends met each and every Wednesday nite for the past nine years to teach a bible study at a nearby men's prison.  But first they got together at Cracker Barrell (always Cracker Barrell) for dinner and fellowship and prayer.

So Jerry is gone right now.  It's Wednesday nite and he and the guys are meeting at Cracker Barrell.  They're having dinner and remembering their friend.  And then they'll go to the prison and break the news to the men who have grown to love and deeply respect Wally.

It's the way Wally would have wanted it.

Goodbye, dear friend.