Thursday, December 12, 2013

MY TRIBUTE TO SAM CRAGG LOSEY


I would like to begin by extending my deepest sympathies to Angela, Timaya, Kyla, Trinity, Josiah and Winter.  Also to Sam's mother Fay, brother Gord, and all of Sam's other close relatives and friends.

When I first met Sam Losey, I was a student at Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener, Ontario in the mid 1990's.  I remember him wearing a red and black lumberjack shirt.  Upon getting to know him, it quickly became apparent he was not a city boy!  He was simple, unsophisticated, and did not try to impress people by being something he was not.

Over the next several years, Sam and I truly became best friends.  In our case, the saying 'A true friend sticks closer than a brother' was true.  While on dorm Sam and I became each other's confidants and accountability partners.  We told each other EVERYTHING about each other's lives.  We supported each other through many family and relationship realtionship issues.  As most of you know, Sam had the much too rare ability to listen without judging.  If I had messed it up royally in my spiritual life, I knew I could go to him, anytime day or night and talk and pray it out with him.  He and i saw the potential in each other and who we could be in Christ if we kept pressing on.

It was not unusual for Sam and I to get involved in lively discussions about theological matters such as the 'once saved always saved theory'.  We would also spend crazy amounts of time voicing our opinions on how Bible colleges and churches should properly be administrated.

Of course, not all of our time was spent in the spiritual realm.  I remember spending many a Saturday in his dorm room hanging out and watching shows like Hercules and Xena Warrior Princess.  Also, he and I, and several other Bible college buddies would grab our Sunday noon lunch trays from the campus cafeteria and religiously go back to dorm together to watch WWF pro-wrestling and all the circus that is is.  We had a lot of good laughs.  Sam also was an avid player of foosball in the rec room at college, as our dear friend Grant Waters who is here today, could attest to.  Sam did have a competitive side, but never in a mean way.

Sam had the patience of Job.  On our dorm we had a fellow who never went to class and just wandered around and played video games.  Many of us found him irritating.  I think Sam did too, but Sam poured his life into this other guy's and spent many hours hanging out with him, making him feel wanted.  Sam had a heart for mission work and seeing people come to Christ.  It was he and Ang's dream to start a ranch for troubled kids.  We can only speculate now what a blessing that ministry would have been.

I am sure we will all miss Sam's smile and laughter and love of life.  People were naturally drawn to Sam.  I remember one of our close Korean friends had a habit of sitting down by Sam and literally caressing Sam's hairy arm.  Most guys would have been spooked by this, but Sam took it all in stride.

After our life on dorm together, Sam and I moved into a fourteenth floor apartment behind Fairview Mall in Kitchener with two of our close friends Shawn and Steve.  One of my best memories from this time is Sam and Shawn arguing over whether Garth Brooks was a Christian or not.  I'm not sure who won...Of interest, Sam from the country, who listened to the likes of Randy Travis and Billy Ray Cyrus, actually had a couple of hard rock tracks by Gun 'N' Roses in his music collection which I found interesting.

Sam's time at Bible college ended before mine.  I remember balling my eyes out and asking him how we would manage being so far apart from each other and not seeing each other every day.  He simply told me that God would take care of both of us and just because we didn't see each other that much didn't mean we weren't still close friends.

As the years passed on, it seemed everytime he would call, he and Ang were expecting another child.  I would ask him how they could handle so many kids.  He admitted it took a lot of energy, but he and Angela worked superbly as a team.

I would like to say a few words about Angela.  Sam was head over heels for you.  He loved you with all of his heart.  You truly were the missing piece of his puzzle.  He spoke only good about you and the two of you wre an incredible team.  Though Sam is gone from this earth, I am sure He will be cheering you on from above.  You can see him in the eyes of your five children.  If Sam were here, he would say: "It's going to be okay.  God is in control.  God loves you.  Go forward and make a difference in this life for Christ".  Rely on God and your family, friends, and church for support.  Ang, you are welcome at our house anytime.

To Sam's five wonderful kids: Daddy loves you very much.  He just has to do it from heaven now.  He will always be with you in your hearts.  I am sure you will laugh a lot about how funny your daddy was.  Your Daddy would say: "Always love Jesus. God is listening when you pray.  Help your mommy with the chores".

Fay and Gord, I learned a lot about your family from Sam.  I can truly say he loved you guys so very much.  You were always on his mind.  As you grieve, may you be flooded with many great memories of your son and brother.  Also, feel free to visit me or stay in contact online.  Sam would want you both to stay close to God.  God does not expect us to be perfect but wants us to stay close to Him and serve Him.

Sam knew well, even back in college, he did not know how long his days on earth would be, due to his health problems.  Nonetheless, he lived life with abandon and to the fullest and did not dwell on future complications.

When I heard that Sam had passed away, I felt a piece of me had died.  So many of my secrets and struggles are "buried" in a sense, with Sam.  I will never be the same again and I am sure many of you here could say that.

In closing, I want to relate something I hope with comfort Sam's family.  A week or two before Sam's death, when I would call my dad, he would play me a song over the phone from his CD player before we'd start to talk.  Well, the night I called Dad to tell him that Sam had died, wouldn't you know it, the song Dad played me was 'Far Side Banks of Jordan'.  I said to Dad: "You won't believe how appropriate that song is" and then I told him the news.  I would like to close with a few of the lyrics from that song: "If it proves to be His will that I am first to go/And somehow I've got a feeling it will be/When it comes your time to travel likewise don't feel lost/For I will be the first one that you'll see/And I'll be waiting on the far side banks of Jordan/I'll be waiting drawing pictures in the sand/And when I see you coming I will rise up with a shout/And come running through the shallow waters reaching for your hand".

Those who know Christ will see Sam again and when  we do, he will have a new and glorious body.  We love you Sam and God bless!