I'm just about ready to walk in and lead and speak at the funeral service for Thaine Crandall. Thaine, 85 years of age, was a friend of mine.
Compassionate and caring, kind and gracious.
I stood by his casket about 30 minutes ago, and once again the thought and realization came to me that we are all but dust. To dust we came into this world and to dust we go. All we are is dust in the wind.
Yet we as followers of Christ know that we receive new resurrected bodies and that we have eternal life. With God.
As I grow older, that thought becomes less of a cliche and more of a permanent truth for me to hang my emotional hat.
Life is here today and gone tomorrow.
I think I'm going to try to live today the best I can. Loving God and loving others.
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2 comments:
If you were to graph your life on a line graph, what we live here is but a minute fraction of the whole. Maybe a better example would be that our life here would be a period at the end of a sentence in "War and Peace." Except not so grand or significant to the greater whole...our life, once we have given it to God, is eternal from that point on! We should live each day knowing that, one day, we have to look up at God and try to explain what happened, why we didn't love everyone, why we didn't reach out to everyone, why our actual compassion did not match our expressed compassion. God loves us and wants us to spread that love...I'm with you George...Love God, Love People.
And thanks George, for being the guy people come to in order to say goodby to those they love. Your love and friendship is greatly appreciated. Mr. Crandall was lucky to have you in his life, though I know that you'll feel exactly that way about having him in yours...it's good to know the heart of a good man. God bless.
Jon
If you have lost a family member or dear friend, one knows that life is fragile and every day counts. I have learned through deaths and through trials to enjoy this time because you never know who may or may not be around in the next year.
I cannot imagine being a pastor and havng to conduct so many funerals. Those many are celebrations, it is still a loss to those left behind. May God richly bless you, George, for you love and faithfulness and this area of ministry.
It is sad that most do not recognize those around them until the holiday's or a loved one passes on. I know I take much for granted and even those around me, but even so, with God's help and direction, He helps keep me focused on what really counts - people. I pray that each year I can see people through His eyes and truly love them unconditionally. For me, I have no other desire than to see Jesus face to face and know my family and friends are along side me.
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