a really good funeral?????

[nagantguy]

told about my friend, spiritual advisor, pastor, A1 excellent human being passing away onto Glory last week....his funeral was fun, lots and lots of people, pastors and members of at least 3 other churches where in attendance, a very large room full of people whom loved him /he had helped . Lots of music, as Doug was the most talented musician that I've know, people from all walks.of life where there, from little kids who are blind and Doug mentored and taught as he had lost his sight at 5, to a teen girl who I just can't get out of my head, I'm not making fun here at all but she looked like the classic description of a hard core drug addict, sat all by here self way away from everyone else, black makeup ,mow hawk, the works but whatever her troubles where Doug helped her!!!
it was easy to.spot his kin from appalachia, again not making fun but I could pick.out their trucks in the lot before seeing the plates!!!, the food after was great, the music great, I hope and pray that one day I could have such a powerful positive effect on just one person as Doug did on thousands.
Doug enjoy the fishing up there, I expect you to.share at least one spot with me when I get there home!

[Pine Baron]

A celebration of life and Faith. Thanks nagant.

[JSnover]

Your description of Doug reminds me of my mother, with her faith in God and her love for others no matter their circumstances.
When she passed I spent a week in northern Indiana, reconnecting with relatives, some of whom I hadn't seen in twenty years. No work, no internet, no worries, just a spiritual reset and a celebration of her life and the lives she touched.

[Blackwater]

Great report. Thanks. It moves me to hear stuff like this. I've been to a number of funerals that were a celebration of the departed's life. The last was my cousin who'd spent 36 years in the USAF, the last 31 at the Houston Aerospace center. He was a Master Chief Loadmaster, and mainly worked on C-130's, which he loved. He was a very simple and faithful and devout to his job country boy, who was exacting and efficient and no-nonsense on the job. He was a git-r-done type of guy, in whatever he was doing. On retiring, he bought a huge excavator, and absolutely LOVED working on and deepening his pond on it. He loved anything with wheels, from his first bicycle to very old trucks, jeeps and tractors, and was a very active member of the local antique tractor club, and also a big part of the organization that puts on the little Peanut Festival in my little home town of Brooklet, Ga. He grew up next to my home on the old sand hill near Black Creek, and what a wonderful place to learn to become a man. My Mom helped raise him, and she was always his favorite aunt, and the closest thing I had to a big brother. When they sent men to the moon, he sent me some photos taken directly from the original negative from the Hasselblad camera they took with them, of the space walk, the moon, etc. Talk about razor sharp photos!

He fought prostate cancer for 16 years, I think it was, and he was very proud of his fight, as well he should have been. He finally succumbed, but he gave it "what for" for years, and was totally reconciled to his transition to the next world, as was his very sweet wife. His funeral was a celebration of his life, and not a tear was shed, because everyone knew he'd been victorious in all the essential elements of his life.

It really doesn't take all that much to be a success in life, really. All it really takes is to simply be faithful, true and appreciative of all the wonderful gifts we've been given, and to treat our fellow man as we'd want to be treated, correcting them when needs be, and getting the job done in life and within one's own self. And really, that's all it truly takes to be a real "success" in life. Not fame or money or position or renown or power. Just that, and nothing else. I've been SUCH a lucky guy to have been born into the family I was, and to good parents and relatives and friends. Even a dumb country boy like me can find what really matters if he just keeps his eyes and heart open, and just listens and tries to learn. Life is really simple, and the more "complex" it becomes, the more we should probably start looking around to see where Satan's hiding this time!

Thanks for the story of the funeral. The good ones really matter, and are always learning experiences, if we'll just let them be. It's not an end to anything, but a real "sendoff." And that matters.

[Bzcraig]

Funerals of believers should be a celebration!

[w5pv]

On to a better life and God speed.

[buckwheatpaul]

Funerals of believers should be a celebration!

I agree....Christians should celebrate the passing of a friend and their entry into God's loving arms!

[frkelly74]

We call those Victory Services.

[smoked turkey]

Amen to all the above. And you know what? Doug will now see with his own eyes after a lifetime of blindness. What an eternity. What a Savior we serve. He does all things well. Yes I love those celebrations when a dear saint goes home.

[Bzcraig]

We call those Victory Services.

I like that!