In 1963 my family moved to Oregon, and we built the
house I grew up in with the help of my Uncle Wayne Weigel, on land he gave
us for that purpose. Through the years our families were close and
I enjoyed seeing my Dad and his brother work together, and joke around
a lot. Whether it was a problem with our well, or working on a vehicle,
my Uncle Wayne would be there. He just enjoyed being helpful, and
because he'd dedicated his life to being a craftsman of excellence, he
often had some very good ideas.
He also had a great sense of humor, and I
can still think about things he said over the years and burst out laughing.
Sometimes I know people felt offended when he ribbed them. And that's
too bad because I really don't believe he meant it to hurt anyone.
I know this because I always just talked to Wayne if I was concerned about
something, and he was always a man who would take the time to talk with
you and figure things out. I think many people could learn from that
example as well. Perhaps if we learned to talk things out we wouldn't
have so many disagreements that separate people.
I can't begin to say how much this man's good
nature impacted my life. Whether fishing for trout and playing around
in the beautiful creek that ran between our places, running through the
endless woods, eating the berries and apples, or getting to drive the old
tractor, it was all so special. Because it was a gift of love from
a man who knew how to give without expecting anything in return.
Well, I shouldn't say anything. I think Wayne expected that people
would show fruits of appreciating, rather than squandering his gifts.
Often people take advantage of a giving nature.
In speaking with Wayne many times, he'd be working to repair some damage
left by a renter or something and explain the situation to me. There
are times when we have to decide "that's enough" and leave a person to
their ways of destruction. We live in a world full of people who
seem dedicated to their own destruction. In that world, I've seen
Wayne Weigel as a man who, like all of us has faults, but whose dedication
was not in exalting those faults, but overcoming them through a relationship
with the only source of true love. The only source of true wisdom.
The only source of true discernment.
Wayne Weigel committed his life to Jesus Christ
many years ago; A man who was the spirit of the living God, come to earth
to show us not only how to live, but that without his spirit living in
us we simply cannot do it. And so he died at the hands of ignorant
men who mocked him; a perfect sacrifice taking on the sins of all who would
cast them on him. And he rose again so that those who would be hidden
in him can also have life after this temporal one with him.
If you look at the life of Wayne Weigel today and you evaluate
it you will see imperfections as with any life. If you look at it
in a different way though, you will see the spirit of God at work in relationship
with Wayne. And it will tell you that an equally imperfect person
like yourself has hope. Hope of living a life without regret, knowing
that your life is new in Christ Jesus. Hope of living your remaining
days in a way that will show people the work that is going on in your spirit.
And hope that a few people might be changed and say things like "I thank
God for the way the life of Wayne Weigel touched my life"
Robert A. Weigel.