The preacher in
Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time to be born and a time to die. (3:2)
Certainly it seems easier
to celebrate births (neighbor, baby Ford---or impending births
(Emily and Nathan’s first child due this month as well as Norman and Linda’s
grandbaby, Lilly B, due in May) and years of birthdays (Almeda, 101 & Lilly,
88) than to go into houses of mourning. But funerals have outnumbered births
these last 6 weeks.
In the last 5 days, two friends
have buried their husbands.
The week prior, I attended
visitations for daughter of one friend and mother of another friend, both of
whom I had worked with in education at Shelby County.
A few weeks before that I
mourned with a family, from my hometown, who had come to Memphis for their
“Debbie’s” funeral. Not only were we all from Hopkinsville, but the Drurys were
former neighbors who had lived around the corner from me on Virginia St. first on Moreland Dr. and then Jimmy and Greta lived on Alumni Moreland.
Just a few days days before, I had attended the funeral for a dad of a former student from Southwind Elementary.
Plus, two encouragers of
mine, Carolyn O. from AR and Carolyn F. from MS both “lost” their sister and
sister-in-law, respectively.
But God......in His love and mercy (Ephesians 2:4) reminded me to remember. Remember the good times and be grateful that they had chosen to believe. A lot of grieving and yet much to remember with thankful hearts.
For most it was a relief from physical suffering and a hope for a better life in the Presence of the Lord. So much earthly loss but so much heavenly gain.
Without that, the times of remembering would be difficult. But.....because of their faith choices, my choice to remember was one of celebration!
