I read the news last week and my mouth dropped open. It was
only about a year ago that I sent Larry a note thanking him for the role he
played in my life. This is what was posted on the front of his website:
Larry
Norman
4/8/1947 - 2/24/2008
Our friend and my wonderful brother Larry passed away at 2:45 Sunday morning. My wife Kristin and I were with him, holding his hands and sitting in bed with him when his heart finally slowed to a stop. We spent this past week laughing, singing, and praying with him, and all the while he had us taking notes on new song ideas and instructions on how to continue his ministry and art.
Saturday afternoon he knew he was going to go home to God very soon and he dictated the following message to you while his friend Allen Fleming typed these words into Larry's computer:
________________________________
I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.
My brother Charles is right, I won't be here much longer. I can't do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone…
My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside…
I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.
Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.
Larry
I saw the news in the Oregonian.
A few days later as I put together a CD
for some of my friends, two of Larry’s songs were included. A few days after
that I sat with one of those friends listening to the CD I had burned for him.
I didn’t think he’d know many of the artists. When Larry’s song, Lonely by Myself came on, he asked about
it. I told him about Larry and the impact he played on my life.
He then told me his Larry Norman story: Flying to Boise he sat next to
this older guy with Long straggly graying yellow hair. As they talked Larry
told him his story and gave him a CD. I skipped ahead to, Its Only Today that Counts. We listened in silence to Larry sing
the Truth. My friend’s words were, “He was the nicest guy…” Larry moved my
friend one step closer to Jesus.
Larry, you had a habit of doing that. Your song, I am a Servant¸ was the song that got my attention and forced me to
my knees, “letting Jesus know I wasn’t going to play games with him anymore…I
was going to lay it all down and give up control.” When I’m pissed at the
church for whatever I will often listen to Shot
down.
You may be singing in heaven’s choir now… My guess is that the amplifier
does go to eleven up there and you’ll be jamming like you did back in the day,
but the songs you left for us … the song that I heard God calling me through…
the song that you wrote that played while kids steamed up the aisle in Scotland
after hearing our God’s call…all the other songs which touched the addict, the
outcast, or simply the rebel are going to keep playing in my heart, my mind, my
soul and loudly on my stereo. For those I am grateful. Thank you.
please check out the best Larry Norman website on the internet www.larrynormanpages.ning.com
it's free to join and there are a lot of great people to meet on the forums. hope to see you there. my username on it is 'cRaShDoG'
Posted by: Joshua Collins | 08 June 2008 at 07:27 AM