It Never Ends

Death is one of those things that just slaps you in the face. Three times this weekend my life has been impacted by death. I preached the funeral of a 91 year old lady who was a member here at our church. Sunday, I did the memorial service for the mother of one of our members here. And over the weekened, I had a 90 year old aunt die.
Each of these impacted me in different ways. Jessie was a lady with whom I loved to spar. I would give her a hard time and she would dish it right back. But we talked of her life several times as she got closer to her death. I was looking at her in the casket and she was wearing her watch...which was still working. I wondered what she needed it for anymore.
The second lady, as previously mentioned, was the mother of one of our members. I never met the woman that I know of. But I know her son. He is a man of character, one who works in the corporate world, yet knows what it means to give of his life. He helps to establish children's homes in Africa. He didn't just decide to be that way. He learned that from his mother.
The third is a lady I've known all my life. When I was in junior high, her husband, my uncle, died of a brain tumor. She lived all these years faithful to God never losing her faith although she had to raise two children as a single mother. And she did a wonderful job. All three of these ladies had eternal influence.
Last Friday, as I sat in the hearse with the funeral home director waiting for the family to show up at the cemetery, the grave digger came up to the director and spoke a few words. I wasn't really paying much attention to what they were talking about. As the conversation came to an end, I heard the man say, "In this business, it never ends." I just had to write that down. Truer words were never spoken. Truly in kingdom business, it never ends. Have a great day. JW