2009/09/25 Friday Memorial Service

An old friend of Don's lost her husband this week and the Memorial Service was today at a nearby Presbyterian church. The service was just right, Don and I decided. The man must have been a wonderful person. His son did a talk abou his father that must have been very difficult to deliver. It was heartwarming and heartfelt and I thought it was a very loving thing to do. I think everyone in the room felt the love that existed and exists between this father and this son and this family. The son made it through without a tear but I think just barely. I felt like shedding a few tears myself during his testimonial about his dad.

The minister spoke very highly of this man and he must have had such a great record here on this earth. He sounded like someone all of us would have loved to know.

Much of the service was Scripture readings and I liked that very much. There was a good mix between paying honor to the man who passed away and giving comfort from Scripture. There were two ministers present and one read from Isaiah in the Old Testament. I don't remember enough of the passage to look this one up. Then I wrote down some of the main ideas in the New Testament readings. One was John 14, at least the first 6 verses. This is where Jesus says to trust in God and in Jesus. "In my father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you....You know the way to the place where I m going." Thomas says they don't know the way as they don't know where he is going. Jesus answers, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Then I think II Corinthians 4:16 - "...we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are renewed day by day."

Then Romans 8:28-31 which contains "God works for the good of those who love him" and "If God is for us, who can be against us."

Then Revelation 21:1-7 where it says "..I saw a new heaven and a new earth...Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away....I am making everything new!...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty, I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life."

Two beautiful hymns were sung during the service. One was "Morning Has Broken" which was just lovely and the congregation sang that one. I like that it is an uplifting song and includes nature in it so clearly. Then a solo of "How Great Thou Art" toward the end of the service. Both were just beautiful. And there was a lovely pipe organ in this church as well. It made for some great music.

Then we went to a receiving line to meet Don's friend and the rest of the family and ran into a couple of others that Don knew as well. I had met Don's friend at their 50th high school reunion. She is just such a lovely person and was so gracious to everyone who came. I found her to be especially wonderful to me and I am basically a stranger. But she sees some of these blogs and I hope she sees this one. What a lovely person and a lovely family! I think Don was around some great people growing up.

This proved to be a good way to spend a couple of hours of our lives.