Adam Kraukis (Friend)
It was a privilege to have Mitch as one of my closest friends. Along with Mitch’s cousin, Jeff, we worked together, worked out together and had a whole lot of fun times besides. Occasionally, I was lucky enough to run into Mitch at church and worship along side him. I now look at those times as our best times together. Mitch was very much a guys’ guy, and I might add, the girls took a liking to Mitch as well. Plain and simple, everyone loved Mitch. I can’t tell you how many friends of mine, who after meeting Mitch for the first time, would later come up to me and say, “your buddy Mitch is awesome!” Of all the people I have known and will likely ever know Mitch took the cake when it came to likeability. He had an energy that drew people in. There was never a dull moment with Mitch around.
Two weeks prior to Mitch’s passing, I was blessed with the opportunity to spend an entire Saturday with him. After a day of golf, good conversation, and tons of laughing, we drove from Wisconsin back to my house where my wife, Emily, and 3 children had been cooped up all day. The drive back began with discussion about the mischief we had gotten ourselves into during our younger days. Our conversation then lead to spiritual things, important things—such as how the Lord was changing us and how we desired to serve him whole-heartedly. Mitch had a huge desire to grow into the man that the Lord wanted him to be. We then pondered what heaven might be like. We finally came to the conclusion that whatever it was like, it was sure to be amazing and beyond the comprehension of our earthly minds. Little did we know that Mitch would soon see the glory of the Lord and have answers to all the questions we could have possibly come up with. Praise the Lord!! We then arrived back at my house. The moment Mitch walked in the door he went straight to my two oldest children, Anna (2) and David (1). That was the moment when “big tough Mitch” that we so often saw, brought himself down to the level of a toddler. Talk about a goof ball; I had never seen anyone play with my kids as energetically as Mitch did. It quickly became obvious that there was no limit to what Mitch would do to get a rise out of my kids, and a rise he got. Anna was so taken with Mitch that she actually started to blush. Afterwards she kept talking about the “nice man”. That day I caught a phenomenal glimpse of Mitch’s heart. Mitch had a big heart. The genuine sweetness and the love for children that Mitch displayed that afternoon was the topic of discussion between Emily and I before bed that night. “The kids sure loved Mitch!”
So, what did Mitch teach me? I would have to say Mitch has taught me that what really matters in life are the relationships you have, what you have done to glorify the Lord, and most importantly, a proper perspective of who Jesus is. Mitch knew Jesus not just as a good man that lived over 2000 years ago, but rather as his Lord and Savior who by grace freely offered him forgiveness of sin through Christ’s death on the cross. Because of Mitch’s faith in Jesus Christ, though I greatly miss Mitch, I take comfort in knowing that he is surely with our Lord. And that’s where I picture Mitch. At the Lords feet singing praises to his name. I can only imagine the enthusiastic greeting that awaits me when I see Mitch again, in paradise!
Praise the Lord for Mitch’s life.
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