My funeral

Just got back from the great state of Texas. Although I had a ridiculous amount of fun, the purpose for my trip was to attend the funeral of my great aunt Anna Bell Elder. She lived to be 84 years old. She was blessed to have a long life, tons of kids, grand kids, great grand kids and even some great great grand kids on the way.

As I sat in the pew of the church where her funeral was being held I could not help but think about what my funeral would look like. Like if I died today how would my life be presented in my final exit. What would the obituary look like?, what songs would be sung? Would people even come? But more importantly I wondered if the story of my life would be worth listening to...

What makes a life worth listening to...if one accomplishes great things like inventing the internet or if they were a family man with lots of kids and a wife...maybe if they are rich, really rich like Oprah or Bill Gates. I mean personally I would want to listen to those peoples life because they did accomplish great things. But what would my life story look like? Would it be worth listening too. I will probably never invent something great, with my track record I probably will not even get married so tons of kids are out of the question :) and I don't think I will ever acquire wealth that can even be mentioned in the same breath as that of Oprah and Bill Gates. So why will people want to listen...what I am currently doing with my life that will draw people into my story and make them want to listen.

While sitting in my Great aunt Anna Bell's funeral I figured it out. Auntie Bell did not invent anything, she did have a bunch of kids that, truth be told, did not amount to very much, and she did not die with a lot of money in her bank account. What then, you might ask, made me want to listen to the story of her life...well I will tell you...throughout the funeral it was apparent that Auntie Bell served and loved the Lord with all of her heart from the time she was saved to the time that she died in her bed last Thursday evening.

Roughly I will estimate that 15 people spoke at he funeral and they all had stories of her service and her love for others. They told funny stories of her prayer requests and heart felt stories of how she truly cared for them and help them get through some of the lowest times in their lives. Everyone that went to the mic left with tears in their eyes with the thought of losing such an amazing person in their lives.

That being said when my funeral comes along, whenever that may be, the story I want told is a story of service and obedience to my King Jesus Christ. A story much like my Auntie Bell's that moves and convicts people to truly carry out the most important commandments that Christ has given His people...To love God and then love people. A story that will be an example to those young and old that you CAN fully dedicate yourself to the truth of the gospel and that when you do you can leave a world changed for the Kingdom of God.

I don't know when my time to go home will come but I do know that this earth is merely my temporary dwelling place. If I died today I sadly admit that my story would not be much to listen to. I would not inspire. I would not convict. And I would not leave a world changed. Auntie Bell's death left those closest to her changed. Christ's death left all people changed. If I am striving to be like Christ, I too must make my death worthy to bring change...

richae