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I should pass along some other info about Chip. He was treated for tuberculosis many years ago. He has endured to rounds of kidney failure and two kidney transplants. Often he endured times in intensive care alone, perhaps by his own choosing. He has never been one to ask for help.

Due to his health, he could have spent much of the last fifteen years on disability, but wanted to work and do his fair share. He has been a disk jockey for many of those fifteen years and for the last several has enjoyed every moment of that job working for a country station in Harrisburg, PA. In fact, just Sunday night, he recorded his last two shifts that ran Monday and Tuesday...he loved to work.

When my daughter was in the hospital for chemotherapy, Chip left home up to several hours early each of those days so he could spend an extra hour on the road to visit my family in the hospital. He never came empty handed. My little girl looked forward to his visits so much that, if she felt well enough, we would take her to the part of the floor where she could watch the cars coming in to try and catch a glimpse of "Uncle Chip's" car. As much as Chip brightened every day of my little girl's hospital life, he gave my wife and I the interruption in worry that we so desperately needed. He spent more time by Rhiannah's bedside than anyone other than her mother and I.

Chip never had much. He was blessed with the opportunity to purchase a home from his family last year. A small house in need of much work. It is his pride. Chip, my wife, myself, and many of our other friends worked hard on this house. I'm sorry to say that it is not finished yet. But it is the only material thing is is proud of. We continued to work on Chip's home after he got sick, often with our own money. But his joy is and always will be worth more to us than green paper.

Chip taught us about faith, about being humble, how to appreciate what and who we have in our lives, and to never let the praises of others fail to pass our lips.

Thanks to all for the wonderful prayers and words of kindness.

God Bless,

Jim

Heavenly Father, our hearts are filled with praise as we return to thank You for the life and testimony of one of our own. Our FReeper family has been enriched with the presence of kixx ... and soon all of Heaven will be rejoicing as Chip enters the Presence of his Living Lord. May he go into that Exquisite Realm with utter joy, and may the tear-stained hearts of his beloved friends be sustained at his home-going by the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Extend Your healing hand to the precious child that You have chosen to lead others to Your Blessed Self, Merciful Father ... grant unto her fullness of years that her sweet spirit might continue to serve the Author of Goodness and Mercy. You are greatly to be praised, now and forevermore, and we do so now, Creator God, and will do so again with Your children in glory, forevermore. Amen ...

Thanks for sharing Chip with those of us who didn't know him. His story is truly inspirational, what a gracious, humble man, filled with the love and the peace of the Lord!

Thank you also for sharing Rhiannah, what a wonderful little girl, The Lord bless you and your family!

Chip as well as you and your family are a testimony of The Lord's love and faith. It is wonderful to see the family of God in action!

I am reminded of Psalm 133:

1: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 3: As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Mt:5:7: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Mt:5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Mt:5:4: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Lord, continue to bless Chip, that his passing if indeed this is the time, will be in your perfect time, surrounded by your Presence and by his family and friends. Thank you for Your Peace in his life, let his family and friends experience Your Peace too at this time.

Thank You Lord for the opportunity to pray for Chip and for jrhepfer and his family, especially Rhiannah, bless her and give her your healing virtue, comfort all, In Jesus Name, Amen!

How wonderful that you have so selflessly shared this part of your life with us. Certainly your life along with the lives of your wife and daughter are so much richer for having a friend like Chip. I ran across this poem that just seems to have been written with Chip in mind, and I would like to share it with such wonderful people who have been so blessed to have such a wonderful friend. Although I will pray for Chip, his family and yours as well, I feel that he already has been blessed by the hand of God.

For Chip:

Before I Go

When my life has reached it's very end,
And I take that final breath,
I want to know I've left behind,
Some "good" before my death.

I hope that in my final hour,
In all honesty I can say,
That somewhere in my lifetime,
I have brightened someone's day.

That maybe I have brought a smile
To someone else's face,
And made one moment a little sweeter,
While they dwelled here in this place.

Lord, please be my reminder
And whisper softly in my ear...
To be a "giver", not a "taker",
In the years I have left here.

Give to me the strength I need,
Open up my mind and my soul.
That I might show sincere compassion,
And love to others before I go.

For if not a heart be touched by me,
And not a smile was left behind...
Then the life that I am blessed with,
Will have been a waste of time.

With all my heart, I truly hope,
To leave something here on earth.
That touched another, made them smile
And gave to my life ... worth.