Ever wonder if you should go to a funeral or not? Go. You\u2019re meant to be there.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s how I thought of Carmen\u2019s funeral. A long-time member of our church, she died last Saturday at age 87 \u2013 at least that\u2019s how old the program said she was. She seemed ageless to me.<\/p>\n
Was I her best friend? Goodness no. Did I feel loved by her? Goodness yes. Did she know how to spread love to many? Yes, indeed, that was her gift.<\/p>\n
She might have had few words, but she had a dazzling smile and the warmest handshake. At church she was the first to notice when anyone new showed up; at coffee hour she would be the first to grab their hand and lead them to someone she was sure they should meet.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been to church committee meetings where people have strategized about how to make sure visitors feel welcome. Carmen was a committee of one in that department.<\/p>\n
For many years she and her elderly mother came to church and I could tell that her mother worried about what would happen to Carmen when she was gone.<\/p>\n
She shouldn\u2019t have. Carmen took care of the church; the church would look after Carmen.<\/p>\n
People visited her at her care facility. Her name would pop up on the prayer list. When the latest photo directory was compiled, there was Carmen, older and frailer, but still with the dazzling smile.<\/p>\n
Over 30 years ago Carol and I got married at this same church. We decided on a small ceremony, just family and a few close friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you know,\u201d Carol said, as though explaining a little known rule of etiquette, \u201canyone from the church community is allowed to come. That\u2019s just how it works.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most of our church friends were too polite to show up uninvited. Not Carmen. She dispensed with all such formalities. She came in a new dress and a shiny pair of Mary Janes. Hers is the widest smile in all the photographs.<\/p>\n
We prayed for Carmen at the funeral. \u201cA sheep of your fold, a lamb of your own flock,\u201d said the minister. \u201cReceive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here on earth she had let that light shine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ever wonder if you should go to a funeral or not? Go. You\u2019re meant to be there. That\u2019s how I thought of Carmen\u2019s funeral. A long-time member of our church, she died last Saturday at age 87 \u2013 at least that\u2019s how old the program said she was. She seemed ageless to me. Was I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":30716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[251],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[476],"class_list":["post-24154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-pray"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n