Posted on 11/19/2004 6:47:16 AM PST by jrhepfer
...Conclusion to "A Freeper's Last Days".
A longtime lurker and 3 year Freeper, known here as "kixx" and to the rest of us as Chip Boose, has heard the Calling of Our Lord. Chip passed on to take his place in the Choir of Angels late last night at about 11:40 PM Eastern time at his home in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
Chip was surrounded, even at that late hour, by family and friends. For the last 5 days his house was so full of friends and family that the timbers strained to support the weight of the love that was shared. Chip passed with peace.
Two days ago, I posted "A Freeper's last days...". Our FreeRepublic Family responded with over one hundred and thirty supportive posts. For his family, I brought up the post on Chip's computer. For those who prefered otherwise, I printed the thread. All who read your words were amazed at the outpouring of strangers. All of you brought an immense and profound feeling of support to Chip's friends and family these last two days.
Now, we will grapple with the emotions of sorrow and loss. Now, we will rejoice in jubilation that Chip is in the Kingdom of God. Now, we will speak of Chip's wisdom, courage, selflessness, and his concord.
Soon, we will find solace in the peace on He can grant.
God Bless You All,
Jim
Chip was a disc-jockey for most of the last 15 years, and enjoyed it more than he could ever put into words. First, at MIX95 in Chambersburg Pennsylvania, then on to BOB 94.9 in Harrisburg Pennsylvania where his last recorded shows aired on Monday and Tuesday this week. His voice was also heard on WYCR in York, PA and on "The Revolution" in Chambersburg, PA. Chip's air name for many years was Travis Nielson Tory (TNT) until he found BOB and country music a few years ago. Since he has been known as Cameron Street. Chip's radio friends from the "old days" brought him immense pleasure in these last weeks, making him forget all about being sick. He loved radio, and he especially loved those who listened to him and would call him.
I am again posting the email he sent to my wife, Kim, early on Friday 11/12. Kim had a very special relationship with Chip, he was the brother she never had. He was also a brother to me, Mike, Rich, Jenn, and many more I'm afraid I haven't the presence of mind to mention at the moment.
God Bless,
Jim
Kim, If I had to, I would dedicate all the time I have left re-assuring my friends that all will be okay. The saddest part of this for me is the sadness that I will eventually bring to my friends and family. I can only hope that this sadness will be a short-lived one as everyone realizes that I have gone on to a better place. A place I expect to see all my friends again one day except that I'll have a hard time recognizing any of you since you'll all be old and hunched over by then. :-)
I am at peace with my situation. A peace developed by seemingly unrelated events of the past couple of years. A peace brought on by a journey back to God undertaken years before, almost without my realizing it. Some of the "unrelated" events that brought me to this place were: Country music, 9-11, the presidential election of 2000, the act of forgiving, removing "poisonous" relationships from my life, gravitating toward like-minded, family-values friends, and culminating in the profound affect a little girl with cancer has had on one man's life.
And that very last one was the most important. Everything before got me on the road back to God. Rhiannah put me on that road for good. I had already come full circle, from my Christian youth, through my rebellious and doubting 20's and 30's, and back to believer. But Rhiannah's cancer diagnosis pushed me to the point where I had to put ALL my faith in God and Jesus.
There was no way I could allow my heart to believe that this little girl was not going to make it. And I prayed accordingly. I let God know that I truly believed that Rhiannah's cancer was, indeed, a temporary thing. And to this day, when I tell you I truly believe Rhiannah is cured, now and forever, its only because I know its so.
Little did I know, as I lay in bed at night praying for Rhiannah, that this little girl was already paving the road that would eventually lead her "Uncle Chip" to heaven. Long before I ever thought I would have a need for it. So, thanks to my little hero, when the news came that my time on earth was quickly fading, I was ready. I had the faith that everything was safe in God's hands, I had a peace overcome me that could only come from a divine source, and I'm assured that my sins have been forgiven and paid for.
I also trust that there is a purpose for my cancer. Maybe not, I don't know. But if there is a purpose for me being here at this time then I guess I'll be around till that purpose is fulfilled. Until then I'll just do what I did a few years back, put it all in God's hands and not worry about it.
My biggest regret through all of this is the trouble I've been putting my friends through. I also regret that day when so many will grieve my death. I've never thought of myself as a very significant person and if were to able to watch it all from the next life I know my reaction would be "What's all the fuss about?"
I hope this sets your heart and mind at ease.
I'll talk to you later, Chip
my deepest sympathies
I never knew this Freeper, but the death of one person diminishes us all. Prayers to his family.
May God bless his soul, and welcome him into his glorious kingdom.
A sad day. My sympathies to family and friends.
My sympathies. He is now home.
Rest in Peace, Kixx.
Prayers to a fellow Freeper's family.
Prayers lifted up for the family, but most of all CHIP is celebrating ETERNITY, forever in the arms of Jesus! GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!!
God bless you and yours, Jim. SirL
May Chip rest in peace. He sounds like a wonderful man.
to darn young to go, but God must have needed him more...prayers for healing.
What a beautiful tribute to Chip! I join with the others here in praying for God's blessings and peace for all of his loved ones.
Rest in Peace, Chip. I will pray for your family.
May God bless his soul and comfort his family and friends in their time of loss.
To be absent from the body is to be in the prescence of The Lord!
God Bless.
Just think about when FReepers meet in heaven! What a fun time that must be!
Praise God another child has made it home, into His loving arms. Although the living mourn Chip, comfort comes from the faith of knowing where he is, and that you will see Chip in the by-and-by, to live together forever, in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Please God, grant comfort to those who loved Chip, and allow their sorrow to bring them closer to You. Our faith in You is strong, as You guide our lives through the valleys and the peaks, but never abandoning us. Through You we are strong. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.
Ask not for whom the Freeper Freeps, We Freep for Thee......
We have eternity. I'll be looking forward to knowing Chip--along with Rachel Scott, Todd Beamer, and all the rest of you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.