Kind of a personal family article today, as we are just back from Tennessee where we celebrated a life lived well by Mr. Tucker. My father-in-law was, as evidenced by the lives he influenced, shaped, and touched, a remarkable man. Randy’s life was the best sermon I ever saw lived. He didn’t have to proselytize; the way he lived his life was the evidence of who God was and who Randy was in Christ and who Randy was in the world. He was a gospel-transformed man, husband, brother, uncle, dad, father-in-law, friend, deacon, servant of Christ and his bride, the church.

On behalf of my mother-in-law, her new church family in TN, and her church family of over half a century, Byne in Albany, GA, our warmest thanks to the Church at Station Hill for their hosting and honoring Randy today via a celebration of life. It was reverent, Christ-centered, to-the-point, and fun–all of which Randy deeply appreciated. Thank you for your labor, your love, your continued support of my mother-in-law, and for your co-labor in the gospel.

Second, our continued love and gratitude to Byne Memorial Baptist Church for your legacy of fidelity to support the Byne family. When I was grafted into Randy and Jane’s family many years ago now, I will never be able to thank them or Byne enough for the love you consistently showed me and all who are blessed to have been part of the family that characterizes Byne and her myriad ministries.

Third, to Mt. Zion, my own family’s church of years now, and especially Adult 9 Sunday school class, of which I’m a part and which blesses our family in profound ways, we love you and thank you for your support and generosity.

Takeaway: When we pulled out of the church parking lot today, we were all smiling, even though Randy “Papa” Tucker was not with us in our cars. He was closer than that. He was in all of us–in the faces, the smiles, the tears, the hugs, the laughter that he so engendered and fostered. We miss you, Papa, more than I can express adequately. But you have come into fullness of joy now–and rejoice in that, and in your life lived well.

And today we sang the hymns you loved. And just like one of your favorites said, even so, it is well with [our] souls.