Recently I was out of town when it snowed pretty hard - I saw several snowmen, but they seemed to have some grass and even some trash mixed up with the snow.  This past weekend I was back in the same city - in the same hotel, but this time there was no snow - certainly no snowmen, but boy… there was a bunch of trash!  I’m talking about like in the fields - the hotel I was staying in was new - it was a nice enough hotel, but it’s completely surrounded by fields.  And this weekend I could see that there was plenty of trash in those fields.  I figured out pretty quickly the snow was deep enough to have covered all that trash.  I think that’s how it is with Christ - He covers all the trashy sins we’ve committed.  Remember the song…  wash me & I shall be whiter than snow… it’s not that He takes away our sins, but He does give us a clean slate by covering our sins just like the snow covered all that trash!  Thank you Lord!

I can’t really think of a reason not to - I can think of several reasons why we all should - first and foremost, it would save your family from major stress - let me explain.  I have seen families extremely stressed out, because they were trying to write an obit in time to meet the newspaper’s deadline (for the next day).  It’s sad to watch.  Even families with plenty of time say they’ll go home and write it, but then when they get home, there’s company and phone calls, etc.  Even if you write your own, your family may want to tweak it, but it surely would be a huge help to them if you’d go ahead and get started (now)!  Besides, you know correct spelling of names and important dates - under stress, your family may make mistakes - I’m just sayin…

So, how do you start?  First, realize who your readers are.  Among many of them, your most important readers are your grandchildren - here’s why.  The obit may be (probably will be) the only tangible ‘take away’ from your funeral.  That obit is gonna get clipped and kept in your family’s Bible - am I right?  You know I am!  Your grandchildren are gonna grow up and get married and have kids - at some point, they’re gonna pull that obit out of their Bible and show it to their spouse - and someday, their kids.  So here’s what you do… ok, say your name is John Doe… pretend you’re an author writing a letter about the life of John Doe, and you’re writing it to John Doe’s grandchildren!  That’s all there is to it!  After you’ve written the letter, then we can tweak it into an article called ‘the obituary’.  We can do that ahead of time (hint hint), or we can wait and do it later (when we have to).  Sorry, but you know I’m a big advocate of arranging ahead of time - way ahead of time.  But I digress…

I tell many folks; if you wanna live on purpose and do good things, then go ahead and write your obituary - then between now & when you die, do whatever you have to do so that your obituary will turn out to be true!

I bet you’re a lot like me… when I have good news, I just can’t wait to share it!  I guess I hafta admit I feel pretty much the same way when I have bad news.  Why is it then that we don’t feel that way regarding the ‘good news’ that Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins - OUR sins - HE came to save US from OUR sins - WOW!!!  Father, please restore to me the joy of Thy salvation…

Today, I was out at the cemetery for a graveside service, and I overheard a couple of people talking - one said he was gonna go over and say something to the family - the other one said ‘I’ll just wait here’, to which the first man said ‘Come on… show some respect’!  The second man said ‘well, I don’t know what to say’ - with that, I had to say something - I just kinda leaned over towards ‘em, smiled, and said ‘you don’t have to say anything - you’ve already paid your respects simply by having showed up’.  I thought about that during the day - it’s not what we say - it’s simply showing up - get it… ’show respect’… you don’t ever hear anyone say ’speak some respect’ - we always say ’show some respect’.  The bottom line; show up (even if you don’t speak up:)

Today is the first anniversary of the death of a friend of mine (in Dallas).  It reminded me; when you know of an anniversary like this, please realize that it’s important - very important - to the family.  Please don’t let the day pass without saying something to the family - just let them know that you remember.  If you’re worried that you don’t know what to say, just remember… less is more.  Be sure to use the person’s name - the family will be glad to hear it - I bet it’ll even make ‘em smile (at least on the inside:)

I hafta say something about that absolutely devastating earthquake - problem is… I have no idea what to say - I mean… I just can’t even wrap my brain around that one - it’s just too big - sooo overwhelming.  It’s much easier to just not think about it - outta site, outta mind.  It’s not even in our own country, so why even concern ourselves, right?  No, wrong!  We are on the same continent - we are on the same planet - we are brothers & sisters in Christ!  But what can we do - I mean… really… what CAN we do?!?!  Our government is doing something, which represents us, so we could say we ARE doing something, right?  Well… kinda, but not really.  Personally, I feel like all I can really do is pray, but that’s not much, right?  Wrong!  Prayer can move mountains!  Nature can move the earth - you know… make it quake, but prayer… prayer can move mountains!!!  I invite you to join me prayer - just right there where you are - right now - just take a deep breath (or two, or three) - really deep breaths… and pray that God would bring about a calm in Haiti - that people there would feel hopeful - that they’d know clearly what their next step should be - that they’d have the energy (and guts) to do it.  “God, I pray, in Jesus’ name, for the people in Haiti - not as a group, but as individuals - my brothers & sisters in Christ.  I pray that they would begin to calm down so they can focus on what to do now.  I pray that they would feel like there’s hope for their safety and care.  Father, help each person to have a pretty clear idea of just exactly what should happen next - they need to know what they need to do, to help themselves & to help each other.  When these people look around, surely they’ll notice someone worse off than themselves (that’s true for all of us, and I believe that in helping others, we help ourselves - it gives us purpose).  Oh, and then God, please give these people the energy they’re gonna need, and the guts it’ll take, to do that, which they should do - not just to sit there, but to be proactive.  God, thank you for what all you’re gonna be doing in their lives, for them.  You are so much bigger & better than that ole earthquake was big & bad!  Amen

It’s freezing outside!  It may be freezing on the inside too…  If you’re like me, you prepared - the best you knew how - for this freeze we’re having - then hoped for the best - no broken pipes, right?!  Well, I’ve got a broken pipe - fortunately, it’s on the outside of the house - the thing is… (although uninsulated) it’s inside a covered area so I couldn’t see it - that’s why I didn’t prepare it for this freeze - my oversight - nobody’s fault, but mine, right…  You know, I think we, humans, can be like that.  On the surface, we’re prepared to meet the public whether it be at the store or wherever, but on the inside… have we prepared - have we spent quiet time with God preparing for the day and what it may bring?!  We might look good on the outside, but we may not feel good on the inside.  Whose fault is that?  I don’t know - it may not be anybody’s fault - not even our own, but if it’s anybody’s fault, it’s likely our own, for not having adequately prepared our mind, heart, and soul.  Oh, you can bet we’ve spent time preparing our bodies - we work out, we have our hair done, our nails - we dress up, etc.  But we may skip preparing what’s inside altogether.  That just doesn’t make sense!  Does it?  Hey, I’m guilty of it too - I aint pointin fingers - no, I’m lookin in the mirror.  I’m with you - we’re in this together.  Let’s agree to spend some time each morning with God - just some nice quiet time, to get the day started off right, ok!

One evening last week, I walked to a neighbor’s home for dinner - this is a longtime friend who had invited me for a homecooked meal - it was a lovely evening, which included enlightening conversation and plenty of laughter - good ole belly laughs!  On top of their grand piano was a rather small Christmas tree - it was pretty - don’t get me wrong - it just wasn’t what I expected - I expected the usual tall tree.  After quite a while, I actually asked if that was their tree, or if they had already put up their (real) tree.  They explained that since they’re ‘empty nesters’, this is their tree.  They further explained that it’s decorated (only) with their most favorite ornaments, many of which their (adult) children made when they were small children.  There were some beautiful heirloom ornaments, which were breakable - you getting the picture?!  I’ve thought of that special little tree several times since that night.  I’ve wondered - in a way - if it’s more special than mine.  Mine is a seven & a half footer - you know the one…  All my favorite ornaments are on the tree, many of which were homemade by my (adult) children when they were, but small children.  It includes some breakable heirlooms - probably a lot like yours…  But on my friend’s tree, every ornament on there is very special; whereas, on my tree, my special ornaments are mixed in with a lot of other (pretty) ornaments.  My friend’s are like showcased; whereas, mine are like hidden in a way.  But my tree is literally head & shoulders above their’s.  Come to think of it, their’s is about seven & a half feet tall (including the height of the piano).  Hmm…  But my tree looks real (even though it’s not).  ‘Course, their tree really is real - they cut it themselves - then they stripped it of its leaves and painted it a shimmering silvery/gold - it really is beautiful - it’s just different - it did not meet my expectations, but then… it may have actually exceeded my expectations - that is… when I open my mind (to something non-traditional).  I suppose it’s possible for something to exceed your expectations without even meeting your expectations - that is… if your mind is open (hint hint)!!  I’ve been thinking… is it about the ornaments, or is it really about the tree?  When you look at mine, I guess you notice the tree first - you’d have to walk closer and kinda zoom in to focus on the ornaments.  Theirs… you don’t - you just kind of immediately see it all, and I hafta admit… it did indeed feel special.  Mine may look more special, but theirs felt more special.  I’m thinking that means theirs is more special.  I don’t know… maybe mine’s more beautiful, but theirs somehow felt more special.  It certainly made an impression on me.  Okay… my point to all this is; I believe the tree represents our life & the ornaments represent our life-experiences.  So… how does an ornament get to be special rather than just another pretty ornament?  Perhaps it’s when (and if) it touches you deeply:)  I’m not sure…  But I do know this; when people look at me, I don’t want them to be impressed with how tall my (non-existent) pedestal is… I want them to feel deeply touched:)  Do you kind of see what I’m trying to say?!  It’s not about height - it’s not about beauty - it’s about life-experiences, especially the ones where we purposefully do for others, which is really what I’m about (in being a funeral director)!  When people think of me, they’re surely not gonna say I’m tall, dark, and handsome - and that’s okay - I would much rather they feel that I’m someone special in their life - I’d like ‘em to say I gave of my life so that their experience with the death of a loved one was made a bit easier than it woulda been otherwise.  I can live with that.  In fact, I guess you could say I live FOR that!!!  Yep, I think I know what to do now, and I’m predicting a Happy New Year:)

At 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, I was in church with my family.  The pastor introduced his family, and pointed out that his daughter was with child, and in fact, this baby was supposed to have come yesterday, so it could be any minute!  They already knew the baby’s name.  And I thought… you know, over two thousand years ago, there was a young woman with child, and they knew what to name the baby boy, Jesus!  Our pastor was obviously so excited about his soon-to-be-born grandbaby!!!  When you think about it… don’t you know Mary & Joseph were just sooo excited about their new baby!!!!!  Just try to picture it… a young couple expecting this first birth - all the anticipation on that first Christmas… doesn’t it just make you smile?!?!  Oh the joy a new baby brings…  Father, please restore in us, your children, the joy of thy salvation!!!  Happy Birthday Jesus!!  Merry Christmas folks!!

I decorated my Christmas tree the other night, and if I do say so myself, it looks pretty good (as usual)!  I thought about how the same ornaments are used every year, and how the tree takes on the same look every year.  But I got to thinkin… the ornaments are in a different spot, on the tree, year after year - yet it looks the same every year.  How is that?!  Perhaps we are like that…  Let’s take funerals for an example - while many funerals are basically the same, no two are alike, which is the way it should be.  (Actually, I wish more families would let us help them create unique services for each unique individual.)  I’m not sure what I’m trying to say - I guess I’m just kinda thinkin out loud…  Should the tree look the same every year - some like it that way - you know… tradition - while others say the tree oughta have a different theme every year, so that it’s always unique.  Certainly, we’d hafta agree that they’re aren’t any rules - there’s no right or wrong.  Another example (or two) would be the seashore… we stand and watch in amazement how the water splashes up on the shore and then is drawn back out to sea - it’s constantly changing, and yet the consistency of it makes it always look the same.  I think it’s the same with fire - we’re warmed as we watch - the flames roar and breath, forever changing, and yet the fire continues to look the same - it’s that consistency again.  It’s like the leaves on the trees in your yard… every year, they turn colors, then fall off - beautifully announcing the change of the seasons.  In life, we have seasons, do we not?  As these seasons change year after year after year, the very fact that they consistenly change is evidence that they stay the same - they stay the same by consistently changing.  With the human race, we consistently have ‘turn over’ - when one dies, another is born, and such is life whether we’re talking humans, ocean water, fire, trees, and yes… even our very own (created) Christmas trees!!!  Perhaps when you look at your Christmas tree, go ahead… in awe, think of how that beautiful tree represents the birth of Jesus Christ who was dead (and buried), but rose from the dead, and is alive today, at the right hand of God the Father - there we go again, with that consistency… Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ death, and Jesus’ life everlasting!!!  Same Jesus, same look, and yet we’re never the same once He enters our heart!  It’s like those ornaments… same ornaments, same look, and yet they’re never placed in the same spot…