Constantine Kostenko

          

  John 5:28 "Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out."

 

 

This passage speaks of the resurrection of our loved ones. It is not God's plan to see us suffer and die, so He extends the following invitation to us: "Come near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8)

 

Please go to the following link to obtain more information regarding the Hope expressed in this passage and again we are sorry for your loss.

 

 http://www.jw.org

John 11:32-45

32 And so Mary, when she arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, fell at his feet, saying to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Jesus, therefore, when he saw her weeping and the Jews that came with her weeping, groaned in the spirit and became troubled; 34 and he said: “Where have YOU laid him?” They said to him: “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus gave way to tears. 36 Therefore the Jews began to say: “See, what affection he used to have for him!” 37 But some of them said: “Was not this [man] that opened the eyes of the blind man able to prevent this one from dying?”

38 Hence Jesus, after groaning again within himself, came to the memorial tomb. It was, in fact, a cave, and a stone was lying against it.39 Jesus said: “TAKE the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to him: “Lord, by now he must smell, for it is four days.”40 Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Therefore they took the stone away. Now Jesus raised his eyes heavenward and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 True, I knew that you always hear me; but on account of the crowd standing around I spoke, in order that they might believe that you sent me forth.” 43 And when he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice: “Laz´a·rus, come on out!” 44The [man] that had been dead came out with his feet and hands bound with wrappings, and his countenance was bound about with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Loose him and let him go.”

45 Therefore many of the Jews that had come to Mary and that beheld what he did put faith in him;

Please go to the following link for more information regarding the Hope expressed in this passage

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/dead-live-again-tract/dead-live-again

John 11:32-45

32 And so Mary, when she arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, fell at his feet, saying to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Jesus, therefore, when he saw her weeping and the Jews that came with her weeping, groaned in the spirit and became troubled; 34 and he said: “Where have YOU laid him?” They said to him: “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus gave way to tears. 36 Therefore the Jews began to say: “See, what affection he used to have for him!” 37 But some of them said: “Was not this [man] that opened the eyes of the blind man able to prevent this one from dying?”

38 Hence Jesus, after groaning again within himself, came to the memorial tomb. It was, in fact, a cave, and a stone was lying against it.39 Jesus said: “TAKE the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to him: “Lord, by now he must smell, for it is four days.”40 Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Therefore they took the stone away. Now Jesus raised his eyes heavenward and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 True, I knew that you always hear me; but on account of the crowd standing around I spoke, in order that they might believe that you sent me forth.” 43 And when he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice: “Laz´a·rus, come on out!” 44The [man] that had been dead came out with his feet and hands bound with wrappings, and his countenance was bound about with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Loose him and let him go.”

45 Therefore many of the Jews that had come to Mary and that beheld what he did put faith in him;

Please go to the following link for more information regarding the Hope expressed in this passage

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/dead-live-again-tract/dead-live-again

I am so sorry for your loss. I never really got the chance to know him very well despite living across the street from the Kostenkos for what seemed like ever. As a young child meaningful conversation with a friend's parent truly doesn't happen. As teens our only wish is to avoid parents at all cost. By the time I was old enough to appreciate adult conversation I was married and long gone from Jefferson Park. Today I feel the loss of never getting to truly know my best friend's dad. 

I will always carry the image if him coming home from work suit, tie, hat, his powerful stride eating away the sidewalk. He always seems to move with pupose. As a child I thought how strange to be growing green onions in the flower beds, but the yard was quite small and I suppose farming was in his blood. An odd memory I will always have, he laughed at some stupid joke I got out of one of those Scholastic books our parents would buy from school. I remeber it like it was yesterday, a summer night before doing our nighly firefly catching while sitting on your back porch steps. I'm sure his laugh was just out of kindness, it was a really dumb joke. Yes I recall the joke, maybe only because I got a laugh from him - what kind of bus crosses the ocean... a Colum-bus. Then there was the summer he worried about us jumping off the porch and told us to stop, all we wanted to do was fly and your porch was closer to then ground then mine in case we didn't. I recall he was very protective of his girls, not a bad thing in hindsight but it did ruin our fun and games at times. 

I like to imagine he's back in his prime out at the farm and doing those things that brought him pleasure.  Find peace and comfort in recalling the good times. I send my thoughts and love out to you

Carol