In Bonner County, God is a local call

I have always believed that God shows up in unlikely places. It would seem that what can be said of places can also be said of people if, in fact, man "bears God's image and likeness in the world". Jon Wirth is such a person.

I met Jon at a real estate course in Coeur d'Alene. He was there in order to remain active in semi-retirement.

I was there because I had made the difficult decision to leave education after almost 20 years.

He was the star pupil, figuring out complicated math problems without a calculator. I was the comic relief.

Both hailing from Sandpoint, we talked a lot on breaks. I discovered he was a cancer survivor. He knows more about alternative cancer treatments than anyone I have ever met. His stories are both legendary and engaging. Very early on it was clear he was a man who knows and lives the slogan, "Never give up."

Jon talks about God with absolute confidence and sincerity without being the least bit threatening or judgmental. I was immediately taken with his peace and gentle manner. My life-long and epic struggle with the notion of God found some solid ground in his quiet and unassuming faith and conviction.

We both ended up at Century 21 on the Lake, sharing a cubicle, bumping chairs and talking about family and faith, grace, the meaning of life and real estate.

Jon and his wife Susie have developed 180 acres at the top of Merrill-Martin Road. He took me up to the property to have a look around. If there is a place on earth that mirrors heaven this just might well be it.

The parcel at the top of the Shepherd's Hills development overlooks the Pend Oreille River, Sandpoint and Lake Pend Oreille with a view all the way to the Monarch Mountains. On a bluff over the building site there is a lone bench beckoning visitors to sit and take in the majestic beauty of the spot.

"That's where I talk to God," Jon says in a matter a fact manner that has one believe God sits right there with him on the bench. The stillness and tranquility fill the space with a sense of the sacred and I couldn't help but want to pray. It is a place where God's existence is palpable.

We walk the property and Jon speaks with pride about the land and he and Susie's efforts to develop the acreage. He walks and talks with a quiet modesty giving his creator all of the credit for the many blessings in his life. The Merrill-Martin property offers a retreat where it is easy to offer thanks.

Jon and Susie love animals and speak with genuine care and love for their dogs which hold a special place in their hearts. I've always believed that those who love their pets find it easier to love and care for people. Jon and Susie are no exception.

On a whim Susie baked my daughters a batch of cookies for a trip to California. They might just be the best cookies we have ever had and they sustained us and surrounding passengers on our flight. Their kindness and generosity have reaffirmed my belief in the goodness of people and underscored why it easy to call Sandpoint home.

Again and again I am taken by the people of this place, people who walk in quiet humility but whose lives speak to all that is good and worthwhile in this world. Jon and Susie Wirth represent so many of the wonderful people I have encountered here.

Jon relates a story about a conversation he had soon after his arrival in Sandpoint. Discussing his recent move a local woman urged him to remember that, "In Sandpoint, God is a local call". It would seem God is a local call, made evident in the lives of folks like Jon and Susie Wirth.

? Tim Durnin is a local Realtor. He can be reached at TimD@Century21.com or by calling 946-7046.