As I sat there at the funeral

listening to the songs and the memories of yet another of our members, I couldn’t help but wonder how hopeless it must feel for those who have no trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Looking around the sanctuary at those who came to honor his life, I felt the comfort and peace even as greif welled up inside. There were no hystrionics, no displays of extreme greif, just the silent cries of broken hearts, hearts that know even as they are broken they too heal. Streams of tears falling down withered faces, faces soon to beam with the light of sure, certain knowledge that their friend, their father and husband is dancing at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ today.

Over the years Pop has officiated at many funerals and attended even more but I dare say that few have affected him more. I know that for a couple of reasons, the least of which were his quips to add levity to the room, as much for himself as for others. Probably more. He talked of the the million miles that his friend had pushed him in his wheelchair while his feet were recovering from being crushed. Few of us think that such small gestures mean much in our lives, yet the reality is that small gestures such as this are the very soul of our lives. For what do we remember at the end of our day? Is it the busy-ness of our daily routines? Or is it the moments when people touch us with a smile, an easy lane change, a door held open?

^{Ecc 12:3}In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, ⁴And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; ⁵Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: ⁶Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. ⁷Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.