"Thanks for Loving Me"

I just returned today from a funeral. My uncle (Dave Edmondson - 69) and his grandson (Noah Pell - 9) were both drowned in a boating accident in McKinney, Texas this past Saturday. My uncle loved to fish and he also loved spending time with his grandkids. This past weekend he was doing the two things he loved the most when their canoe capsized on Lake Lavon. They found them both with their life vests still on. It was a quick trip out to Dallas to attend the funeral and spend time with the family, but during the last few days I have had so much running through my mind that I just wanted to get some things in writing.

• Please pray for the Edmondson and Pell families. They are Christians, but there is a hard road to walk ahead of them.

• Family is so important. Sometime we take them for granted, thinking that they will always be there. But each of us could be gone in an instant. So take time today to tell your family how much you love them. Spend as much time with them as you can. Love them with all your heart. And when you do fight, don't let the sun go down on your anger. Make up and move on. If a part of your family lives far away, make sure you see them when you can. Stay in touch as best you can via phone calls and emails. When they are gone, there won't be another chance.

• During times of grief and mourning, having your family there is irreplaceable. Friends are great, we need them and we love them. But there is something about family that you just can't replace. There is a bond there that is different than other relationships, and you really see it during a time like this. So be there for your family.
  
  
• They held a double funeral on Tuesday. As you can imagine, it was not easy for the families. But the pastor, I believe his name was Jim Lewis, just did a wonderful job. It was probably one of the best sermons I've ever heard. Noah was in the fourth grade, and his entire class came to the funeral. There was standing room only so they had the kids sit on the floor up front. The pastor took his podium, moved it over to where the kids were sitting and spoke directly to them. His message? There are mysteries in life, things we can't and don't understand. But in times like this we hang on to to what we do know - and what we know is that God is good and we can trust Him. That is a good message for all of us.
  
  
• Noah was only 9 and loved baseball. They buried him in his uniform, and some of his teammates wore their uniforms to the service. They signed a baseball and put it in the casket with him. They buried him with those and others of his favorite things. As you looked at that you couldn't help thinking how unfair it is for a life like that to get cut so short. But Pastor Lewis said something that I'll never forget - that God is sovereign, and Noah had fulfilled his purpose. I believe that. I don't understand it, but I believe it.
  
  
• The pastor preached the funeral using Uncle Dave's bible, which was worn out from use. I was going to add some more here - but what else needs to be said?
  
  
• In Uncle Dave's casket they placed several of his favorite things, including a fishing rod and some cartoon characters that he collected. As I stood there looking at the different items, I noticed a yellow post-it note that someone had scribbled on and placed in the casket. There was no name, and it only held a simple message - only 4 words. As I went back to the hotel room that night, I was watching the news. There was a man on there - a politician - who had already built himself a huge marble mausoleum with his name engraved in large letters. On the mausoleum he had engraved all of his political accomplishments - a lasting monument to himself. And as I watched that I had to laugh out loud at the absurdity of it, because that monument with it's list of accomplishments could not hold a candle to a simple yellow post-it note that summed up a life lived well:

" Thanks for Loving Me"

• One final thought. I'm so glad that we are Christians. I'm so thankful that Jesus rose from that grave. Because of that we know we will see Dave and Noah again. Even in a time like this, a time so full of sorrow and hurt - we don't have to sorrow as those who have no hope. As the pastor said at the graveside, there will be a resurrection one day on that very spot - and what a day that will be!

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17