IN MEMORY
Many people's lives touch our life as the years pass. Some of these friends and family are lost to the natural process of death. Others are still here in body but their spirits have lost touch with this world.
We miss the advice,encouragement, and companionship they gave so freely. However, we believe that they are with the Lord and are part of the "great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on from Heaven. These short stories, photos, and sayings are things that encourage us as we look back at their lives.
The short story below is my take on discussing death with a younger child. Each family should decide what they believe and how they want to communicate it to their children. I personally believe the way I grew up; going to viewings and funerals as a regular part of life in a small rural community; led me to understand the natural process at an early age. Our children never went as often as I did growing up. They did learn about death and "funeral etiquette" during the deaths of distant relatives, casual friends, and even neighbors who were basically strangers to them. I really believe that later this made it a little easier to deal with deaths of friends and closer family members.
LOVE’S LESSON FOR OUR LIVES
@Janet Stokes June 1, 2007
My Granny pulled me into her lap and gave me a great big hug. She was looking at me with a serious look in her eyes. “Do you remember Br. Joe telling us about Heaven and how wonderful it will be when we go there?” she asked. “Yes Granny but I didn’t understand how we could get there and back. If we get tired of all that singing can we come home and take a nap?” I replied.
“You remember how the little brown pod on the cedar tree cracked open and a beautiful butterfly flew away. It is like that with the bodies we have in this life. A time comes for us to leave this world and our souls, the inside part of us, changes becoming a beautiful spirit.”
“Can we see it like the butterfly, does it have wings? Will it hurt to change? Is that how it can get there and come back?” I asked.
“No sweetie, we can’t see a soul as it leaves but we know where it is going. It can’t come back to us but someday we can go to be with the person in Heaven. It doesn’t hurt, it’s like walking through a door into another room”, she answered with a little smile. “I’ve talked to you about your Poppy Rick and how much I’ve missed him since he died. I’ve got so many loved ones waiting for me there, best of all we will be with the Lord”.
“I would like to see Poppy Rick and play with him. I wouldn’t want to never see and play with my friends. All that singing would wear me out like the 5th Sundays at church!” I replied.
“There is a lot more to do in Heaven than just singing Leila”, she answered, “We will be able to share all the wonders there and to talk with the saints of the Bible. Can you think of one of the people you’ve learned about in Sunday School?”
“Yes Granny, my favorite story is about David and the Giant,” I answered.
“How would you like to hear all about it from David himself?” she asked.
“I guess that would be fun, but I’m not in any hurry to go there Granny”.
“I know, Leila”, she said,” I am much older than you and I feel closer to that time every day. I just want to tell you some things that I hope you’ll remember as you grow up, okay?”
“Sure, I’ll try to remember everything you tell me Granny.”
“Last month your Mom took us to the track meet in which your cousin Rob was running. Did you see all those people watching the runners”?” she asked. I nodded yes and she continued,” The Bible says that in Heaven the saints are watching us as we run our races here on Earth, cheering us on just like we cheered for Rob to win his race.”
“Okay I guess I like that but do I have to run like Rob for Poppy Rick to see me?”, I said.
“The races that the Bible tells about aren’t that type of race. When we become a child of God through our faith in Jesus and His Gospel, our life becomes a race toward the things He wants for our lives.” Granny explained. “Poppy Rick and later I will be cheering you on in your race of life and we will celebrate every time you win.”
“Granny I don’t want you to go, I need you here to tell me stories and to teach me things. Please don’t go away! I’ll be good. I won’t fight with Cousin Barry over the cookies anymore. I promise I’ll do extra chores, I’ll help Mom and Dad with baby Fred!” I begged.
Granny hugged me tighter and said, “I’m not planning to go home anytime soon. I only wanted you to understand about what will happen when it’s time. When my Ma Jones died I didn’t have any idea what had happened. It scared me. All I knew was that she was gone and would never be back. I was angry because she left without a goodbye or an “I love you”. Back in those days children were to be seen and not heard, so no one did any explaining to me. It was not until I was a grownup that I found out she died in her sleep. She didn’t know that goodbyes were needed. I never want you to feel like I’ve left you without the love you need. I’ll always love you and cheer your life on until you join me in Heaven.”
“I’ll always remember this lesson Granny. I’ll be sure to let my children know about it when I grow up. I love you and I hope it’s a long time before you go away” I replied.
“I love you too child. Now let’s go bake some of those brownies you love and have ourselves a little party”, Granny answered as she put me down and started for the kitchen.
BLESSINGS
Num 6.23-27
May the blessing of light be on you
Light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire,
So that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.
And may light shine out of the two eyes of you,
Like a candle set in the window of a house,
Bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.
May the blessing of the rain be on you,
May it beat upon your Spirit
And wash it fair and clean,
And leave there a shining pool where the blue of Heaven shines, And sometimes a star.
May the blessing of the earth be on you,
Soft under your feet as you pass along the roads,
Soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day;
And may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie out under it.
May it rest so lightly over you
That your soul may be out from under it quickly;
Up and off and on its way to God.
And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly. Amen.
Scottish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
You are the peace of all things calm
You are the place to hide from harm
You are the light that shines in dark
You are the heart's eternal spark
You are the door that's open wide
You are the guest who waits inside
You are the stranger at the door
You are the calling of the poor
You are my Lord and with me from ill
You are the light, the truth, the way
You are my Savior this very day
Many people's lives touch our life as the years pass. Some of these friends and family are lost to the natural process of death. Others are still here in body but their spirits have lost touch with this world.
We miss the advice,encouragement, and companionship they gave so freely. However, we believe that they are with the Lord and are part of the "great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on from Heaven. These short stories, photos, and sayings are things that encourage us as we look back at their lives.
The short story below is my take on discussing death with a younger child. Each family should decide what they believe and how they want to communicate it to their children. I personally believe the way I grew up; going to viewings and funerals as a regular part of life in a small rural community; led me to understand the natural process at an early age. Our children never went as often as I did growing up. They did learn about death and "funeral etiquette" during the deaths of distant relatives, casual friends, and even neighbors who were basically strangers to them. I really believe that later this made it a little easier to deal with deaths of friends and closer family members.
LOVE’S LESSON FOR OUR LIVES
@Janet Stokes June 1, 2007
My Granny pulled me into her lap and gave me a great big hug. She was looking at me with a serious look in her eyes. “Do you remember Br. Joe telling us about Heaven and how wonderful it will be when we go there?” she asked. “Yes Granny but I didn’t understand how we could get there and back. If we get tired of all that singing can we come home and take a nap?” I replied.
“You remember how the little brown pod on the cedar tree cracked open and a beautiful butterfly flew away. It is like that with the bodies we have in this life. A time comes for us to leave this world and our souls, the inside part of us, changes becoming a beautiful spirit.”
“Can we see it like the butterfly, does it have wings? Will it hurt to change? Is that how it can get there and come back?” I asked.
“No sweetie, we can’t see a soul as it leaves but we know where it is going. It can’t come back to us but someday we can go to be with the person in Heaven. It doesn’t hurt, it’s like walking through a door into another room”, she answered with a little smile. “I’ve talked to you about your Poppy Rick and how much I’ve missed him since he died. I’ve got so many loved ones waiting for me there, best of all we will be with the Lord”.
“I would like to see Poppy Rick and play with him. I wouldn’t want to never see and play with my friends. All that singing would wear me out like the 5th Sundays at church!” I replied.
“There is a lot more to do in Heaven than just singing Leila”, she answered, “We will be able to share all the wonders there and to talk with the saints of the Bible. Can you think of one of the people you’ve learned about in Sunday School?”
“Yes Granny, my favorite story is about David and the Giant,” I answered.
“How would you like to hear all about it from David himself?” she asked.
“I guess that would be fun, but I’m not in any hurry to go there Granny”.
“I know, Leila”, she said,” I am much older than you and I feel closer to that time every day. I just want to tell you some things that I hope you’ll remember as you grow up, okay?”
“Sure, I’ll try to remember everything you tell me Granny.”
“Last month your Mom took us to the track meet in which your cousin Rob was running. Did you see all those people watching the runners”?” she asked. I nodded yes and she continued,” The Bible says that in Heaven the saints are watching us as we run our races here on Earth, cheering us on just like we cheered for Rob to win his race.”
“Okay I guess I like that but do I have to run like Rob for Poppy Rick to see me?”, I said.
“The races that the Bible tells about aren’t that type of race. When we become a child of God through our faith in Jesus and His Gospel, our life becomes a race toward the things He wants for our lives.” Granny explained. “Poppy Rick and later I will be cheering you on in your race of life and we will celebrate every time you win.”
“Granny I don’t want you to go, I need you here to tell me stories and to teach me things. Please don’t go away! I’ll be good. I won’t fight with Cousin Barry over the cookies anymore. I promise I’ll do extra chores, I’ll help Mom and Dad with baby Fred!” I begged.
Granny hugged me tighter and said, “I’m not planning to go home anytime soon. I only wanted you to understand about what will happen when it’s time. When my Ma Jones died I didn’t have any idea what had happened. It scared me. All I knew was that she was gone and would never be back. I was angry because she left without a goodbye or an “I love you”. Back in those days children were to be seen and not heard, so no one did any explaining to me. It was not until I was a grownup that I found out she died in her sleep. She didn’t know that goodbyes were needed. I never want you to feel like I’ve left you without the love you need. I’ll always love you and cheer your life on until you join me in Heaven.”
“I’ll always remember this lesson Granny. I’ll be sure to let my children know about it when I grow up. I love you and I hope it’s a long time before you go away” I replied.
“I love you too child. Now let’s go bake some of those brownies you love and have ourselves a little party”, Granny answered as she put me down and started for the kitchen.
BLESSINGS
Num 6.23-27
- The LORD bless you and keep you
- The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you
- The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
May the blessing of light be on you
Light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire,
So that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.
And may light shine out of the two eyes of you,
Like a candle set in the window of a house,
Bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.
May the blessing of the rain be on you,
May it beat upon your Spirit
And wash it fair and clean,
And leave there a shining pool where the blue of Heaven shines, And sometimes a star.
May the blessing of the earth be on you,
Soft under your feet as you pass along the roads,
Soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day;
And may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie out under it.
May it rest so lightly over you
That your soul may be out from under it quickly;
Up and off and on its way to God.
And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly. Amen.
Scottish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
You are the peace of all things calm
You are the place to hide from harm
You are the light that shines in dark
You are the heart's eternal spark
You are the door that's open wide
You are the guest who waits inside
You are the stranger at the door
You are the calling of the poor
You are my Lord and with me from ill
You are the light, the truth, the way
You are my Savior this very day