“A Life Well Lived”

The snow is so pretty this morning as I type out my message. Just had to take a few photos to show you all. There was NO snow in the forecast. The grandkids are staying a few days. Boy are they happy to wake up to this!

My mom’s beloved oldest sister passed recently. I decided to drive to Arkansas, along with my father and Jen,  to attend her services last week.. She was my Aunt Virginia, a Proverbs 31 woman. Her visitation service was engulfed with family, friends and flowers. One entire wall was filled with beautiful flowers, which was a perfect tribute  as she was such a gardener. She spent hours upon hours gardening and tending her flowers and vegetables throughout her years, always working….always accomplishing much. The music was continual, inspiring and beautiful. It was as though we were in a flower garden. Awe Inspiring! What I saw was a picture of love, from immediate family to relatives coming from the east coast to the west coast. Yes, what a picture of love. What a tribute to this woman of faith!

At the funeral the pastor introduced the title of his thought-out  message which he had prepared for her: “A Life Well Lived”, was what he announced. It began with a grandson reading the Proverbs 31 verses regarding a “virtuous woman.” Yes, she fit God’s description to a tee.

The pastor made certain no one went home thinking my aunt was born into her christian faith, or baptized into her faith. And he made certain everyone there had a chance, perhaps another chance to hear the gospel message of salvation….being rescued from our sins through Jesus our Lord; a decision each is to make because of the free will God has bestowed on humanity.

My aunt was a wife, a mother, grandmother, school teacher and so much more. She was life-long learner……especially when it came to learning  the word of God. She studied it, she knew it and she lived it. And she was very approachable. You see, her little sister was curious from time to time and asked her some pretty serious questions about faith., about her faith in Jesus Christ.  That little sister happened to be my mom. She felt very comfortable asking, knowing her questions would be studied over and answered with truth. My aunt helped my mom see the need to trust Jesus Christ as her personal savior. Many visits, many scriptures read, then a decision was made. I am thankful my aunt lived out her faith in front of my mom and shared Jesus Christ with her. I hope you are doing the same. That is the Christian’s call.

As the family converged at my cousin’s home for a lunch, and also my aunt’s home for yet another gathering, I was overcome with the evidence and realization of a continued close-knit family, and as I sat back and listened to stories, watched the embraces of my cousins with their relatives and stared into my loved ones’ eyes, I was taken back to my childhood……a little girl, playing with my dear cousins, enjoying our family gatherings…loving to be with them. Learning from them. Their faces the same…the twinkle in their eyes…the same… and I felt completely accepted and loved. I wanted that again. My aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents and parents and the heart-warming surroundings.  Family….just can’t beat it.

Teachings at our beloved church continue to be about being intentional…living and learning with a servant’s heart and always building relationships. People…it’s all about the preciousness s of People. From family to friends to folks in our community who perhaps we haven’t even met yet.

Thank you Father, for creating , before the beginning of time, the loving family unit. And thank you so much that we may one day soon be reunited in heaven because of the sacrifice of your Son…your ultimate sacrifice. May we be reminded today that the baby in the manger we celebrate was intentionally sent to save us from our sins..

I must do my part to share the good news, live out my faith, and plan another gathering…to make ties that bind with family members…aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents,  grandchildren and on and on it goes…from generation to generation.

The grandchildren are staying with us this week. I feel the need to make Christmas cookies. Let’s see…where is my apron. Cut out cookies. The children will love to help me. Yes, make and cut out and bake and decorate, and eat and laugh and make a big…………….:) Another bonding time. I hope, another wonderful memory