I'm Going to Die

Death is not a pleasant subject, but it’s one I have encountered a lot this week.  I am preparing for the graveside memorial service of a friend - the fourth memorial service I’ve attended this week. 

Let me share some observations I’ve made this week:

·         All funeral homes and mausoleums stink. You can dress them up with flowers or spray them down with insecticide, but they still stink.

·         In the Bible belt, church folk pull out their Sunday clothes and Sunday masks for funerals.  They’re often in shock when a real person speaks of real pain and has real questions.

·         Knowing your dead friend is “in a better place” doesn’t take the pain away.

·         There are people all around us with holes in their hearts and we don’t even know it.  I want to know it.

·         Don’t invite an angry preacher to speak at my funeral.

·         Don’t invite anyone who doesn’t know me or my family to speak at my funeral.

·         Don’t play a cd of your favorite song at my funeral.  I will come out of my casket and scare you if you choose any song about Grandma, or flowers, or a train, or a river.  If there’s going to be singing, I want to hear everybody sing something about how great God is and how much He has loved and changed me.  Great is Thy Faithfulness would be a good choice if you leave out the middle, fluffy verse.  Be sure to sing loud the parts about “Thy compassions, they fail not” and “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”

·         My belief in what Jesus taught about the afterlife is stronger than ever.

·         I am going to die.  I don't know when, I don't know how, I don't know where.  When I die none of what I’ve listed above will matter to me except the last one.

What about you?  Any thoughts on death recently?