Taking Notes at a Funeral

So.....I attended a funeral last night.

It was for a friend of mine's husband. I met the man only once. I went to support her and see a very dear friend of mine who came in town to help during this time.

Last night I learned so much. I pray that God keeps it fresh in my mind for quite a while, as it was all so much to soak in.

I greeted my sweet friend Peggy who I haven't seen since December of '08. It was so awesome to hug her. I have missed her greatly. Peggy is an amazing woman of God. She lost her husband in '08 suddenly, though God was directing every single step. She is someone very close to my heart...a spiritual mother if you will. When she moved, my heart broke because she wouldn't be here with me anymore, but I knew that she was following where God was leading. So, when our friend Brenda's husband became suddenly ill, she came in to help Brenda....she was in this position before, so she knew how to minister to her.

I waited for my BFF to get there. Together we went in. We saw Brenda, hugged her neck and gave her our love. I told Brenda, "I never know just what to say in a time like this, so just know that I love you."

We stood off to the side, saw a few other ladies we knew and sort of caught up while waiting for the service to start. My bff, Dana, noted something....there was a lack of grief in the room. Not to be confused with sadness. Yes, people were saddened over their loss....but there was no heaviness there, because they knew where he was. He was with his Father in heaven.

We were ushered in and sat down. The service began. BEAUTIFUL. His grandchildren came in waving beautiful flags. There was a Shofar that was blown as his casket entered the room. Amazing.

A friend of theirs began with prayer. Then there was a time for the family to come up and say a few words......during this, his grandchildren became overwhelmed with sobs. My heart hurt for them. As the family members shared their rememberances of David, I was starting to feel sad that I had not had the opportunity of knowing him more than the one meeting.

They spoke of his unconditional love no matter the season of their lives. They spoke of how he was always there, and there was always a sense of love with him. They made note that he was not a man of many words, but when he spoke you listened because he only opened his mouth to impart wisdom...and an occassional funny. Through all of this, his grandbabies continued to sob. That is when the Lord showed me something....he was a man that made a point to spend time with them. He got out in the leaves and wrestled with his grandsons. He built tents in the garage and backyards with them. He loved to dance with his granddaughters on his feet. He loved to play and laught with them. They were not mourning a grandfather who they wish they knew better. They were not mourning all of the things they wish he would have done with them. They were mourning the loss of a great man in their lives who always had time for them. They were relishing every memory they had with him.

Do my kids have enough of those memories of me? If I were to be taken home tomorrow...would they mourn because there are not enough of those kind of memories, and they wish there were? Or would they be able to mourn for their loss, but be able to revel in the plethora of memories that we had made together?

(It was at this point that I felt compelled to write that down, to remember.....I felt really weird. I was taking notes at a funeral!! Oh please don't let anyone see me!! LOL)

The next thing was time for friends and members of their church to step up and say a few words. The same theme was said over and over. "David was a man of few words. But he loved the Lord and served Him greatly...all the way until the end. In everything he did." He ministered to people on his deathbed. Oh that I would have the boldness and strength in my relationship with Christ to continue to put HIM first in my final hour!! He cared for people's hearts. He cared deeply for them. You could sense that this was not in any way "lip service". He was truly a man after God's heart. His life was such a testimony to me and all who sat in that service.

A man who worked with him even stood and told of the "work side" of David. And yet, his story was NO different than all the rest!! David maintained his wonderful steadfast heart even on the job. There wasn't a work personna, home personna, and church personna. He was the same in all areas of his life. That is testament to Christ that lived in him.

Towards the end, Brenda got up briefly to thank all who attended and hae prayed and helped her during this time. She also mentioned that that day...was their 20th wedding anniversary. How very bittersweet it must have been for her.

After all was done, Dana and I hung around to talk with Peggy. We stood there, the three of us holding hands, and listened as Peggy poured into us. She encouraged us, she reminded us of things that God has called us to do, she confirmed some things that we were both dealing with/praying about. It was amazing. God used her so greatly to guide us. After she was done talking we kind of stood in silence. There was jsut so much to take in from the service to what she spoke that there were not (and still are not) many words that can explain the peace and knowing and confirmation that was sensed.

Never in my life have I come away from a funeral so very encouraged and uplifted and focused.

I am so thankful for Mr. David and the life he led...though I met him only once, his life has impacted me more than he will ever know.

I am also thankful that God used his passing to reunite Peggy with us, even in for jsut a short time. That time was used wisely. We didn't stand around talking about this that and the other....the time was spent receiving what God wanted to tell us through someone who means so much to us.

Taking notes at a funeral.....proof that God will use any and all situations to guide those who seek Him.