Good Shepherd Church (LCMS)

Truly, there is no way to fully prepare for death. When I meet with families after a loved one has passed, I'm faced with the challenge of talking "nuts & bolts" while life doesn't truly seem to make sense. It doesn't matter how long a person has been sick...it doesn't matter how much faith they had or the family has. It's all hard.

So, we sit down to talk about the funeral, luncheon, flowers, memorials...all that stuff. I sometimes wonder how this whole thing became so institutional. What's up with the dog & pony show? There's alot of work to go through...at a time when our brains aren't really thinking properly.

In Biblical times, the funeral featured professional mourners - the more grief there was, the more prominent/wealthy the family was. Today, I'd hope that nobody places a value on a person's life based on how many people come to the funeral service. I'd hope, though, that the service is a testimony to the work of God in and through the life of the one who passed.

John Trocke shared some wisdom today (regarding squeezing in a eulogy): "The legacy of the deceased has already been established. It is their life. The people who are gathered are the ones who already know who the person was. They don't NEED to be told." Now, it wasn't those exact words...so, I shouldn't have put quotes on it, I guess.

What I'm saying is...breathe. I hope people don't get too caught up in the commotion of it all to miss the chance to grieve...or, to miss the hugs, handshakes and words of comfort that come their way. It IS a time to mourn, and a time to dance...it's bittersweet. Don't miss any of it.