tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5615061308080934142024-02-18T17:46:31.964-08:00Bret's Testimonydeeskeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08521415454758467882noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561506130808093414.post-73890705358686277602012-11-24T18:25:00.001-08:002012-11-24T18:34:05.594-08:00My husband, man of God<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">BRET’S TESTIMONY</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Before I launch into Bret’s testimony, I need all of
you to know the significance of this day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Five years ago, to the day, at about this time, I received the dreaded
phone call that many of you received on November 13, 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My best friend, Tina Schultz’ husband,
Michael, died of a sudden heart attack at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Tehachapi</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
on December 3, 2006.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along with the
Mersereau family, our three families grew up in church together, and we and our
children became best friends along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This road we have traveled together just keeps getting longer, it
seems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Shortly after Mike’s appointment with God, Bret and I
talked about the verse in Psalms about how God becomes a father to the
fatherless and a protector of the widow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I asked him if he would commit to this Biblical principal with me, and
also the one in James 1:27, that states, “Pure religion and undefiled before
God and the Father is this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To visit the
fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from
the world.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My amazing husband took up
the call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did our best to walk this
lonely road with Tina, Daniel, David, and Angela, and Bret lived out those
verses in Psalms and James, by taking care of Tina and her kids, no matter what
they needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the implication of this
day is not lost on our Heavenly Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He had already written our story before we were ever born, and all He
ever asked us to do is to trust in Him and rely on Him for the strength to obey
and honor Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Bret must have been born already knowing who he was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been truly endearing to hear all of you
depict his “aura” in so many different ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here are the ones I actually remember:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“genuine, ‘it,’ the real deal, example, model, special, fair, kind,
loyal, unique, had ‘a presence.’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
we were dating in college, Bret was a bus route leader and bus driver in
Chicago Heights, IL, and he would visit homes and pick up children and bus them
back and forth to the enormous First Baptist Church of Hammond, IN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The associate pastor in charge of the bus
ministry thirty years ago described Bret as being “distinguished.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I think my most favorite recent explanation
for his uniqueness was that he had a “Troneness” about him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This description is very apropos, since he sort
of “osmosised” it from his father, Douglas Mac Trone (Who was named after
General Douglas MacArthur, by the way.).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Born
and raised in Colorado and Wyoming, Bret spent a lot of time traveling over the
Rockies, hunting, fishing, and camping with family and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was on one of these Colorado trips with
his parents and aunt and uncle that his family’s lives were forever
changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bret and his brothers were
traveling with his dad and mom over Slick Rock, and his Aunt Kathryn and Uncle James
were following them in a Ford Mustang, with his four year old sister,
Brenda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The brakes on the Mustang gave
out, and their car went over a cliff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bret’s aunt broke her neck, barely survived, and his sister died before
they got her to the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
anguish and grief of this event is what caused Bret’s dad and mom and aunt and
uncle to receive Christ as their Savior, within weeks of each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From that day on, they dedicated themselves
to raising their families in a Godly manner and teaching them about the
importance of salvation and Biblical values.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Bret’s
dad was one of the original founders of the Wyoming Technical Institute in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Laramie</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Wyoming</st1:state></st1:place>
and an amazing mechanic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He infused in
the boys a profound work ethic, and they all learned amazing skills from
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty much, Bret and his brothers
can fix and do anything!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all had
jobs working at the institute and around the town Laramie from a young
age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was at Wyoming Tech that Bret
actually received Christ as his Savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He and his brothers did janitorial work and office work for his dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">He
told me about this experience when we were dating, and I asked him to share it
with Jonathon and Deanna when they were growing up, on more than one
occasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One night, at the age of
thirteen, he said he had one of the scariest moments of his life, while he was
cleaning a room at Wyoming Tech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
some reason, his entire family and some friends were all there after hours.
Anyway, Bret said it got very quiet, and he felt this ominous feeling, like
something had happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He started
running all over the school calling out for his dad and mom, brothers, and
friends, and NO ONE answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He checked
everywhere, and all the rooms were empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After looking for them for what seemed forever, he became convinced that
the rapture had occurred, and the Lord had come back to take His children to
Heaven. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bret was sure he had been left
behind!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So he got down on his knees and
asked Jesus to save him right then and there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shortly after that, his missing family and friends showed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never did get the skinny on where they had
been all that time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bret’s relationship with Christ, after receiving Him as
Savior was what made him the man that he was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without Christ, it would be impossible for Bret to be the kind of son,
husband, dad, brother, family member, friend, Captain, boss, or employee you
remember him to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, Bret was an
amazing man, and the proof of that is in the wonderful outpouring of people who
are here today for his memorial…but Christ is even more amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bret knew this, and though he was somewhat
quiet and reserved, his life spoke louder than words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So when you think of Bret moving forward,
don’t forget to consider His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would want you to know Him personally. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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deeskeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08521415454758467882noreply@blogger.com0