Her funeral (part II)

The service was special.  Jim, Andy and Robert Brearley (her boss and preacher from the Presbyterian Church) talked about her life, and we reminisced and laughed about memories of Mom.  Jim stood behind the pulpit and said, “We were here to pay our respects, celebrate the life of Elaine Royal, and give glory to God, who was such a part of Elaine’s life.”  Jim shared personal thoughts and observations of Mom.  He spoke of her as being loved and admired, an avid shopper at Winn Dixie and the dollar store, and a Youth director.  He also spoke of her having a continual smile regardless of being in the hospital, how she was always thinking of others, and how she helped Joann serve at a soup kitchen when she could only use one arm.  He then asked, “What message went out by those served by Elaine, when it would have been easier, understandably, had she been somewhere else instead of there?”  He also brought up the fact that we told him she did her devotions in the bathtub.  He said, “That gives new meaning to being immersed in the word of God.”  We all laughed.

Robert Brearley said, “We thank God for her witness, her cheerful smile, her love for children, and the candy drawer she kept.” (In which they all found.)  “She helped us celebrate people in the life of the Church of Jesus Christ.”  The most special part was them tying her life, the life that she led, to Jesus and her relationship to Him.

Those gathered there for her funeral were asked two questions, “How do I stand before God? Is He Lord and Savior?”  They were told they had a decision to make.  Both Jim and Andy offered the people gathered there, to seek the same relationship she had with her Lord.

  U How do you stand before God?  U

  U Is He your Lord and Savior?  U

U  U  If you don’t know where you will spend eternity, I invite you to pray and ask Jesus into your heart today.  Mom would have thought her death would have all been worthwhile if someone came to know Jesus because of her death.  U  U

The choir from Mom and Dad’s church sang a song Dad thought Mom would have liked.  The choir also sang a song Mom wanted sung, “What a Day That Will Be.”  They had the choir sing the first stanza by themselves, so everyone would hear the words.  Then everyone joined in and sang the first and second stanzas.  During this time, I was crouching down beside my video camera.  I just started balling because the words made me think of her being with Jesus. “What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, And I look upon His face- the One who saved me by His grace; When He takes me by the hand, and leads me through the Promised Land, What a day, glorious day, that will be.”  Near the beginning of the second stanza, it read, “No more sickness, no pain…..”  She is not in pain anymore; she is perfectly healed.

I prayed for the unsaved people in my family and for all those who were in attendance.  I prayed they would come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.  So many people heard the gospel presentation probably for the first time that day.  It was eloquently stated not pushy.

After the service, we were ushered outside where they had put the casket in the hearse. We stood to the side and many people came up to us and talked after the service. Little Johnny, my cousin, came up to me, and we talked about Mom. He said something very sweet about her, but I can’t recall what he said.