Celebration Service for Berthena

I had just turned onto the James River Freeway when my cell phone rang. It was Noel asking me to drive to the GreenLawn Funeral Home on Battlefield in Springfield. When Mom and I arrived, there was a host of immediate family members. Berthena looked absolutely beautiful! Everyone thought so! After the viewing, we ate a light dinner and then Noel asked us to get some ice cream from Andy's. We ate it in the La Quinta Hotel where we stayed. Noel checked us in. I about flipped! He had booked a suite for each of us!! There were 3 phones and 2 TVs in each suite. (Sondra, Galen's wife, was staying with Noel and Janice.)

The funeral was at the First Baptist Church in Nixa. It was the largest funeral I have attended. The new sanctuary doubles as a gymnasium during the week, and it was filled with people. Family and friends came from 6 different states. We all enjoyed the gospel quartet that sang with an acoustic guitar. The pastor was inspiring and reminded us that we are now writing our own funerals. We were also reminded just how thin the veil is between the spiritual world and the earth. Only those who are spiritually alive are aware. The rest have chosen to remain spiritually dead. When he asked how many had enjoyed Berthena's homemade pie. Hands went up everywhere!

Such occasions are always reunions. I talked to Larry Martindale who dated my college roommate at Cal Baptist. Larry retired from the Air Force and lives in Missouri now. I talked to Julie Hill who was a flowergirl with my Keri in Noel and Janice's wedding. She had flown in from Bakersfield, CA. I had not seen these people for 35 years. Our lives are short, but we will enjoy one anothers company in heaven forever! That makes me smile!

God was truly with me as I drove to Springfield and back home in 24 hours. The rain had stopped and I had no traffic to deal with.