Ever since I accepted Christ into my heart in my younger years, and as John and I grow older, we keep finding out more about the depth of God’s love for us. We sometimes think we can handle things on our own but by now have ascertained it is best to let God show the way. As we grow older we realize even more deeply that if we are truly living in fellowship with Him, whatever happens in our life is to the good. Does that mean we always enjoy all the things that come along? Of course not, but isn’t it comforting to know out of every situation we can find peace because He knows best and will always help us through. And when our job on this earth is over, He will take us home to heaven to live the forever life of peace and joy.
Such has been the joy of all three Christians we have known who went to heaven this winter and left their earthly home behind, leaving behind their earthly
“love of their life.” Their loved ones were left behind for a little while longer to do some unfinished work for God until they, too, are called to heaven to be with Him and their mate.
That is certainly the way the funeral of a born-again Christian is and it is a joy to attend. The first one we attended was that of Louise, the wife of Charles Roth.
Her funeral was at Elliot Mortuary and it was packed with people she had known in her earlier days, before she developed her dementia. She had always been such an inspiration to me with her Christian testimony and it is so encouraging to know she is now greatly enjoying herself in heaven. Her husband Charles is still doing his job for the Lord at the Young at Heart Ministries every Thursday, but knows they will again be together when his work here is done,
A week later we got a call from our pastor Ron Mandeville that one of our church members, Kay Horse, had been found at home where she had fallen, and we would have her funeral on Friday. It was a lovely funeral with family from far and near. The family sang around the piano like they used to do at home. Personally, John and I will never forget last November when we sang our favorite song “Only Glory by and by,” both Kay and her husband always sat near the front and first we saw Chester with his eyes closed and his head tipped toward heaven and a smile on his face and it gave us joy. During the last verse I saw Kay do the same thing and that is indeed a picture in our mind we will never forget.
Pastor Ron preached a beautiful sermon about heaven and how we can all be sure of going there someday. Pastor Johnson gave a beautiful closing prayer along the same lines and we all left with joy on our faces knowing what a wonderful day that will be that those of us who have accepted Christ to be our Savior will be in heaven someday, too, when our work on earth is done.
The next week we got another call. This time it was from John’s sister Sue, telling us their first cousin Laverne Neufeld had fallen a few days before and now he, too, had gone to heaven. The funeral would be on Thursday. Again, the church was packed, and we heard their pastor, a grandson and a men’s trio (now that Laverne was gone) As was the custom in the area of Buhler and Inman, the families were all invited downstairs for lunch and visiting. When it was time to leave I marveled how well Meribeth was holding up but then again, I realized they will be together again soon or when her work on earth is done.
As I was standing near her, I noticed a lovely woman who reminded me of someone I used to know…Wanetta (Friesen) Cornish. She looked at me and said “Doris?” We threw our arms around each other. She and our daughter Judy used to be good friends as they were growing up. The girls had attended Bible Camp together. Believe it or not, the three of us even sang in a trio. I asked Wanetta if she would sing with us again and she agreed immediately. Now I need to work on my daughter.
Driving home from Inman after the funeral, we decided to turn off a mile before the Buhler road and go down the road that used to go by Sunrise School, Dist. 160. We had fun reminiscing as we sped across some of my favorite memories.
How many more funerals will we attend before we attend our own? The Lord only knows, but that’s all right. If one of us goes first, that’s all right too, because we’ll know for sure the other one will join us because we’ve both asked him in.
Hope to see you all there!
Doris loves to hear from you at [email protected]
