Home Stretch

It's been a long semester. It might have something to do with my intense summer of classes. It probably has a to do with taking anatomy which is really like taking two classes in one. Besides there being lots of material to learn, it's pretty dry. It's hard to learn certain facts when I don't really know why I need to learn them. My professor likes to test us on the embryonic origin of whatever particular organ we are studying. That may be important for a few people but I have a hard time seeing myself using those little tidbits of information as an occupational therapist. Besides all that, the long semester also has something to do with John's death. I'm just haven't been very motivated to study and it takes longer for things to sink in. All that to say, I'm glad to only have three days left. Tomorrow afternoon I have my Anatomy final and on Wednesday afternoon I'll take my Statistics final. I'm looking forward to the break from class the opportunity to work through the pile of paperwork on my desk and read something besides a textbook.

Thinking about Christmas

After a busy week of studying it's been good to take a break today. I'm sitting in front of our Christmas tree with a cup of hot cider. Everything outside is white. I heard Christmas music playing at the grocery store this week so it must be getting close to Christmas. Some of those songs talk about how this is the best time of year or how the little kid in us tends to come out in December. Christmas is a family time with all the family traditions. No wonder it's a tough time for families when someone is missing. It doesn't feel like the best time of year. In a sense I don't feel like celebrating at all. How can family time be celebrated when a place at the table is empty?

Last night I went with some friends to the Ausberg College Advent Vespers service. The first song we sang together is one of my favorites, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. The first verse calls for Emmanuel to come ransom us who "mourn in lonely exile here." My mind went to Romans 8 where Paul talks about how we groan and the whole creation groans with us as we wait for our redemption. The older I've gotten, the more I've experienced what it means to groan in this body living in this sin filled world. John's death has added new meaning and depth to the reality of my groaning and the feeling of being in a lonely exile.

It amazes me that Jesus chose to become Emmanuel, God with us. He willingly came to this sin filled world. He joined in our groaning and mourning. He entered into the human condition and that included weeping at a friend's grave. I think he knew what it was to lose a father since there is no mention of Joseph beyond the Christmas story. Jesus came to change our destiny from death to life. He came to "disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadows put to flight." And he accomplished what he came to do. Death couldn't hold him in the grave. He rose victorious over our worst enemy, never to die again. And he's just the first. All who put their hope in him will also be raised to live with him forever in the perfect world for which we were made.

That gives me reason to celebrate. That is why my family can celebrate Christmas. There will be tears and sorrow because John is not with us. But deeper than the grief is the confident hope that our Redeemer has come and will come again and set all things right. The story of Christmas is why we can be joyful in the midst of tears.

Back in the groove

Whether I wanted to or not, I needed to get back into my normal school schedule. I have no desire to get further behind and there are now only 3 weeks left before finals. I spent the week making up a test and a quiz, getting ready for an Anatomy test on Thursday and trying to understand the statistics that I'd missed while I was gone--all while I was thinking of my brother, John, and other family members far more than I usually do.

The other part of my week was getting into the groove of actually working rather than simply training at UPS. I managed the early hours (starting work at 5 AM) by going to bed early. By Thursday I needed a nap so I could make it through my 9:45 class. I started out on unload which involves removing packages and mail bags from the containers and putting them on a belt that takes them to be sorted. We saw all kinds of things: shoe boxes from Zappos (those are light), small cube boxes that a far to heavy for their size and plenty of boxes from Amazon. Throw in a tire, some ice chests, and lots of bags of samples headed for a medical lab and it's all in a days work. It's a good workout and I ended up with some tired muscles. I also have quite a few little bruises on my legs which must be from bumping up against corners of boxes. In less than 3 hours three planes can be unloaded, the packages sorted and put on the right truck (which goes to the other sorting centers in the metro area) or onto the right feeder plane (small plane that goes to different areas of Minnesota and western Wisconsin). Next week I'm getting moved to small sort where my role will be to sort the envelopes and small packages. I won't have any sore muscles there but my brain will actually have to be functioning so things get to the right place. Small sort is the one place where they actually keep track of errors and know who made them.

Honoring John Robert Hibma

This past week over 800 people came to honor my brother, John. They didn't come because he accomplished anything great or was rich and famous. He was a simple farmer and mechanic who never lived more than 20 miles from where he grew up. They came because of the kind of man he was. I knew he was a good son, brother, husband and father yet I heard many stories this week that showed me new facets of the honorable man he was.

John was a man:

• who stepped aside to let impatient, frustrated farmers get their parts first during the press of harvest.
• who sat and listened to a friend going through a divorce without judgment.
• who called someone he had known for only a short time to pray with them in the midst of their battle with cancer.
• who barely made it through high school but left love notes to his wife and daughter when he headed off to work before they woke up.
• who was one of the few fathers to take his daughter to the library and attend all the conferences at school.
• who called neighbors to see how they were doing.
• who backed up his pickup so he could ask the friend of a cousin how he was doing after major surgery.
• who hummed as he worked.
• who was fun to be around, bringing a smile to every gathering.
• who thanked those who did things for him.
• who always had time for a cup of coffee or to talk with kids.
• who was a faithful, strong protector and provider for his family.
• who was not a yes man but would speak his mind. 
• who stopped to see if those in the car stopped alongside the road needed help.
• who kept things in perspective and helped people not make a mountain out of a molehill.
• whose chiropractor and the woman who cut his hair came to his funeral.
• who let the hard things in life make him better. In recent years it took more for him to get angry. He seemed more content. He was more patient and compassionate.
• whose last words were "I love you" as he talked with his wife on the phone.

A friend of mine said, "John lived his life well and he finished well. I think everyone stood when he entered heaven."

I think she is right. I read through Colossians 3 and I feel like I'm reading a description of John. He knew what it was to put his hope completely in Jesus and to be given a new self. He knew Jesus was his life and as a result he was able to live life to the fullest and love well. I am honored to have known him for the past 39 years and to introduce myself as John's sister.

The man who fears the Lord is blessed...

The righteous will never be moved...

He will be honored...

He will be remembered forever.

(taken from Psalm 112)

John

 Our lives were forever changed on Friday when John, my younger brother, died as the result of a farm accident. For the moment, I don't have many words or the energy to put my thoughts in coherent sentences. So for now, here are a few photos of his life.

 John Hibma

January 29, 1972 to November 4, 2011

Farmer from an early age

September 13, 1972

October 23, 2011

Working boy

Still working

Devoted husband and father

All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it;

surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades, 

BUT the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 40:6-8

Study, study, study

Here's some random happenings from the week.

• To get a badge to work at the airport I attended a 2 hour class on security issues. I am not tell you what we learned - even though I really didn't learn anything that isn't common knowledge or common sense. At the end however, I received that badge and I'll be sure to follow the rules so I don't have to sit through the class again.
• I was assigned to a spot with a good view of the field at the Iowa-Minnesota game on Saturday. No matter what Coach Ferentz says, there is a different energy in the stadium and on the field when Iowa comes to town. Next time Iowa better consider that game as being the one that makes or breaks their season or Minnesota will keep Floyd of Rosedale (who, for the uninitiated, is the bronze pig traveling trophy that goes to the winner of the Iowa-Minnesota football game each year.) 
• I met a man who played football for the University of Minnesota in the 1940s. He told me that he had played on the offensive line at 185 pounds. The size of linemen have changed drastically since than.
• Most of the rest of my week was spent studying. I have one test tomorrow and two on Tuesday. Two of the three are in Anatomy. My mind is full of the names of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. Quick who can name the 12 cranial nerves and also identify them on a model of the brain? I still have some work to do to be ready for that last part. I talked with a nurse this evening who had recently been going through her notes from Anatomy class more than 5 years ago. She only remembers what she actually uses. 

Celebrating

I liked MEA weekend as a high school student and it's even better as an older student to have a short break from class. My niece's birthday usually falls at the same time so that means I can get more out of a trip to Iowa. I didn't have class on Thursday or Friday so I could leave as soon as I was ready after class on Wednesday morning. But first I had to get my room in order. My flatmate's parents were coming to visit so I was finally motivated to find a place for everything.

Another side benefit of getting to celebrate Elizabeth's birthday in October is that it falls during harvest. At least it usually does. Last year they had finished by the time I arrived. The only reason this year wasn't a repeat performance was because of several breakdowns. My older brother was also home and got to run the combine one evening while Dad went to a meeting. Mom and I took a hot meal out to the field and I rode with Dad for awhile in the combine. He let me drive for a few rounds. I felt as if I was 14 and learning to drive a stick shift. He was just as patient now as he was then with my jerky stops and starts.

Elizabeth turned 9 and both sides of the family were together today to celebrate. We all enjoyed the beautiful weather as we played games out in the yard. There were two obvious signs that Elizabeth is getting older. She waited patiently for several hours before she was able to open her presents. Her packages are also getting smaller and the cards are starting to include more money. I hope she enjoys her shopping spree.