Saying good bye to an aunt

Yesterday we said good bye to an aunt, a person who persevered through much in her life and certainly during her 20 plus year battle with cancer. She was a trooper to say the least and such an inspiration to many in the way she carried herself during her illness and how her faith in God only seemed to grow.


As usual my mind wonders during a service. I think about what legacy I might leave, what my service will look like and so on. An uncle shared that early on in aunt Martha's journey he shared with her the bible story of how God added 15 years to a man's life. He certainly did to Martha's as well. While I don't know if that will be the case for me, I have to do my part and leave the rest to him.
I found my self also thinking of the importance we place on things. A life is so precious and should be celebrated. A day like yesterday was truly a time to mourn but also to celebrate her life and the start of a new life for her.


I worry that in our modern world we will be reducing the funeral to a mere formality instead of a celebration and a time of mourning which I personally think is critical to the mourning process.


John 11 details The Death of Lazarus and how the family grieved and how even Jesus wept. We too should feel the freedom to grieve and weep and shouldn't reduce the process to a mere formality. A life is precious.

John 11:32-36 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

³² When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ³⁴ “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
³⁵ Jesus wept.
³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”


What importance to we place on life and how do our actions support it.


Alan Jackson - Amazing Grace
I'll See You Again Lyrics Westlife