My Friend -- Dr. David Plaster

My friend and colleague Dr. David Plaster died March 6, 2010. He was sixty years old – not old at all since I hit 70 in February. He was the third of four to die in the past three months. My brother died December 22, 2009 – age 75; a dear friend February 3, 2010 age 73 with ALS – I watched him die; and now Dave – age 60, March 6, 2010. All these are “too young” by today’s standards but God has a different standard, I guess. Then the list of those I know or knew increased by one within the last week with the death of a former pastor at age 83. At least he was “a ripe old age”. But this article is not about death and dieing. It’s about God’s superintending of our lives. It’s a fairly long story so please, dear reader; bear with me. I will try not to be boring or go into trivial details but the story lies in the details.

The story starts in 1962. It is a story of my work experience mostly but the underlying part is how God had/has a plan in mind and we can’t know the ending from the beginning - usually... Here is my story:
1. Working for American Hard Rubber Co Akron, Ohio 1962 - layoff in 1965
2. Working for BF Goodrich 1965 – 1972 – transferred to Dallas 1969 (nearly broke up our marriage… another story…)
3. Begin working in Aircraft Industry – Bell Helicopter 1973
4. Layoff Bell due to the overthrow of the Shah of Iran – work for Vought Aircraft 1982 – Vought partnered with Northrop Grumman on B-2 Program – Didn't know that.
5. Immediately Assignment to B-2 Strategic Bomber Program
6. Transfer to Palmdale California 1987 – 2 ½ years (again impacted marriage – but God sustained us – now almost 50 years…)
7. Enter my contacts with Dave Plaster –
8. Elected to Grace College/Seminary Board work with Dave for 13 of the 15 years on the board
9. Back to 1987 – through contact with Board of Trustees, learn that Dave needs a place to live while getting his Doctorate at Dallas Theological Seminary – Hey, why not come and live at my house in Hurst, Texas – only about 20 miles from DTS and – free of charge? I'm living on per Diem in California so he can live in my house in Texas and keep watch over the place...

Now you must understand there is absolutely no intent for anyone to say – “My oh my, isn’t Holsinger a generous soul!” But ask me, “Does God work in mysterious ways his wonders to perform?” (Holsinger non-literal translation…) I am fully convinced that God had Dave in mind when I got the layoff notice from American Hard Rubber in Akron Ohio in 1965 - went to work for BF Goodrich Co who transferred me to Texas - lost my job and went to work in the Aircraft Industry so I could be assigned to the super secret B-2 Bomber Project so I could be transferred to California for the time Dave needed to complete his studies in Dallas at Dallas Theological Seminary to complete his Doctorate. Tell me that wasn't God at work! Only took a little over 20 years for His plan to become visible 1962 - 1987. And we think He isn’t in control? I believe He is! Give God the Glory!

Alligator Skin July 8 - December 22, 2009

I just re-read my post for July 8, 2009 and am taken with how short a time ago that was. Only about five months. My brother died December 22 of this year. I guess the simplest way to say it is that he just got tired of the struggle. He stopped the dialysis a few weeks before this, but finally made up his mind to "let go". He was gone in two days. Merciful. After five years in a home and two on dialysis I guess he just had enough. So -- bye Bro -- see you in Glory.