12/12/2025
I attended a memorial service this week for an absolute giant of a man.
Andy was my boss, but more than that, he was someone who carried real weight - quiet strength, deep integrity, a man whose life spoke louder than his words.
On every gravestone are two dates.
And between them… a dash.
That dash represents a life.
How we showed up.
What we stood for.
Where we placed our energy and attention.
During the service, the pastor shared something that has stayed with me.
When Andy knew death was imminent, he said:
“I would have liked to have lived longer…but I have no regrets.”
No regrets.
Not because life was easy, but because his dash was full.
Full of service.
Full of faith.
Full of responsibility taken seriously.
One of the songs played was Working Shoes.
Andy and his wife would pray together, not just for themselves, but for people and countries around the world facing real hardship and challenge.
Working Shoes was a song Andy felt captured what life was really asking of us.
Not comfort.
Not spectatorship.
But service.
To put our working shoes on.
To do what we can, where we are, with what we’ve been given.
To show up, even when it’s hard.
Andy lived like that.
And that is why, when the end came, he could say, with honesty and peace..
“I have no regrets.”
Thank you, Andy.
