Please…No cookies and Kool-Aid! Over the years I have attended numerous funerals and memorial services…each of them were nice, quiet, respectful, middle of the road, most had canned church music (think bad musak) and each of them have been extremely somber and safe. This is expected because for years it has been the model for how to honor someone when they have passed and, from what I have experienced, most of these affairs have been topped off with cookies and Kool-Aid. Please do not look at this as being morbid. Today I feel terrific. Frankly, while no one can be certain, I expect to be here for years to come. Really I do…I simply want to establish my desires for my memorial service for when I do make the transition from this earth to the presence of Jesus. First of all…I do not want my memorial service held in a church building. When Dietrich Bonhoeffer was asked…what is the church…he responded, “Where two people are together and they are praying for one another…that is the church…and where the church is no one is lonely.” It is my desire that my memorial service be held in a place where conversation will be fostered, prayers will be lifted up and who knows…maybe a few people will actually experience Bonhoeffers’s definition of “church.” It would be my preference to host this gathering in our home. However, if our home isn’t big enough then I would prefer an outdoor gathering. In a perfect world I envision… - An open grass field - Folding white chairs - A tent - A fire pit for later in the evening - Great music…maybe even a song or two by my friends Regie Hamm, David White and Nicole Smith Sponberg - An open microphone for friends who want to share fun stories - A ton of interaction where my new friends and old get to know one another - A simple grace filled message on the crazy love of Jesus Christ delivered by my brother Zac - I have no desire for flowers…it would be my desire that this money be invested in a charity like the Both Hands Foundation, Empart, or Brother Bills Helping Hands (Jackson loves serving with JT Olson on building projects and at the West Dallas based food pantry) - It would be terrific to serve a great meal - The best wine you can imagine – Peter Nelson…you will be in charge of this. - Great beer iced down in metal tubs – David Caperton…this will be your job - Name tags for everyone who comes with their name, where they are from and how we met…this would be a great conversation starter - This is not necessarily a wake as I do not want a coffin with my body being viewed as this whole thing should be a celebration of life…not death Interesting…as I ponder this service I am not thinking service at all. No…I would prefer a party. This should be a celebration…a time to share the love of Jesus with everyone who joins my family to mourn my loss and to celebrate my homecoming. Crazy to say but I want this to be fun. As I type it makes me sad to think when this party occurs I won’t be there. It makes me sad to think Tracey will be alone and Jackson will no longer have a dad...so this actually gives me the courage, desire and strength to fight this battle as long as I am physically able. Seriously…it could be 5, 10, 15 or even 20 years. There is no way of knowing and as of today, I am thrilled to say, we are ahead of this terrible disease. Yes…when the time comes I would love for all of these things to occur but please promise me one thing...at my memorial service/wake/party there will be no cookies and Kool-Aid or canned church music for that matter. Amen.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 04:16:45 +0000
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