Last week, my neighbor and Best Friend's (how awesome is that?) father passed away. He was an awesome man! He was a quite the 'ladies man'. When he was diagnosed with cancer (a week before he passed away) he told his kids, "I never thought I'd go this way. I always thought I'd die from the bullet of an jealous husband" HA!!! Yes, he was always cracking a joke. In fact, the last understandable words he spoke was a joke! (By the way, he promised me a lunch date, and I never got it. I'm holding him to it in the next life!)
He was a friend to everyone. At his funeral, he was quoted as saying "I've never met a stranger". He had 9 children, and incredibly all 9 were gathered around his bed when he died. His first wife passed away, leaving him with four, and his second wife, had 4 of her own. Together they had my friend. Most of the children were quite old (high school seniors +) when they joined their families together. It wasn't easy. Merging a "Yours, Mine, and Ours" family never is, and is seldom ever close. But through lots of hard work, and love, they miraculously became one big happy close family (one of the best I've ever known). They do not distinguish themselves as half or step but as brother and sister. It's really quite awesome (and rare). I love this family!
Whenever I go to a funeral, it gets me thinking about what people would say about me (right then) if it was my funeral instead. I know what I'd like them to say, what I'd like to be remembered for, but do others see me as that? I mentally start making a list: loving, strong unfaltering testimony, kind to everyone, charitable, funny, good example, a great sister, daughter, aunt, mom, wife, friend. . .the list goes on and on.
Then, I recommit. I commit to making myself better, my relationships more meaningful, my soul more Christ-like, my testimony stronger, etc, and pray for help in becoming these things. And that's why I love funerals.