In memory of JP Farrell

As I was pacing my room with my thinking cap sitting lightly on top of my head, trying to come up with a new idea for a blog.  Then it hit me, I'll write a blog in memory of Mr. Farrell.  It was either this or song.  Which I'm still considering doing.

I didn't get to say what I had wanted at his funeral, not because I didn't get the chance, but because I am one of those more emotional beings.  I could see myself up there choking out all my words.  Wouldn't of gone to well.  But there are plenty of things I could say, and I hope to do that right now.

I had started playing guitar at least 4 years ago, and becase of the way it was taught to me I never enjoyed it.  After a while, I gave up and the guitar was left in it's case to collect dust.  Well, God had a plan through all this, He knew only too well that the guitar would not remain there.  It was about a year later when my sisters started taking violin lessons from Mr. Farrell or 'Mistow Fawwoll' as Jordan would pronounce it.  My mom took this as an excellent opportunity to get me back on guitar again and so she signed me up as well.  I remember the first lesson quite clearly, before it began he made sure I knew that guitar was his worst instrument.  You can imagine my surprise when he started playing. . . my mouth dropped open.  If guitar was his worst instrument, I thought Then I must really be terrible at it.

As the lessons continued I began to find that love I used to have for the guitar.  He became more of my friend,  he shared his love of music with me. Something none of my previous teachers could do.  Everytime he walked in our home we could see the joy that radiated through him, even amidst all the pain.  He was always  patient with all the three of us.  And let me tell you, that is not always easy to do.

After he became sick, the lessons stopped, but we never stopped praying.  He seemed to be getting worse, and I prayed and prayed that somehow he would be miraculously healed.  Well, this wasn't God's plan and he passed away a few weeks later.  I remember getting in the car and recieving the news, took me a couple seconds to process before it sank in, and even then I'm not sure I actually believed it.  Before this, I never had someone this close to me pass away.  We attended the funeral a few days later and I think this is when it finally sank in, I couldn't help crying but I had to remind myself that he is in Heaven now, in a new body without pain.  And this was comforting. 

Although we didn't know him very long he made a huge impact on every single one of our lives.  He taught me what it meant to be joyful even through the hard times because our joy comes from the Lord.  He brought back my love for music and I'm not gonna quit, because I know he wouldn't want me to.  We all feel very blessed that we had the wonderful privelage of knowing such a wonderful man. He was truly a blessing to us. We miss him but we will see him again, and I feel comforted by that.  We love you Mr. Farrell!

Conner