I want to share a wonderful thought out of one of my daily devotionals – this one was written by Max Lucado.

There is an associated passage; Galations 4:7
So now you are not a slave; you are God’s child, and God will give you the blessing he promised, because you are his child.

Maybe your past isn’t much to brag about. Maybe you’ve seen raw evil. And now you… have to make a choice. Do you rise above the past and make a difference? Or do you remain controlled by the past and make excuses?…
Many choose the convalescent homes of the heart. Healthy bodies. Sharp minds. But retired dreams. Back and forth they rock in the chair of regret, repeating the terms of surrender. Lean closely and you will hear them: “If only.”
“If only I’d been born somewhere else…”
“If only I’d been treated fairly…”
Maybe you’ve used those words. Maybe you have every right to use them… If such is the case… go to John’s gospel and read Jesus’ words: “Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit” (John 3:6).

How important is location when choosing a Funeral Home for the ‘once in a lifetime’ funeral of a loved one?!?!?! It seems to me that if location is the least bit important at all, then you’d wanna choose our location at 6101 Bosque Blvd, because it’s so centrally located, convenient to all your friends who will attend the visitation and/or funeral from all different areas of greater Waco – it’s really pretty much a no-brainer when you really think about it!

Should you find yourself faced with having to call a Funeral Home, because someone in your family has died, rest assured that we will work with you if you’re on a tight budget – most people are these days. We’ve been working with people like this for 85 yrs! We know how to exceed your expectations while helping you stay within your budget – it can be done & we’ll prove it to ya – it would be our honor.

Also know that your loved one’s body will be treated with dignity & respect – that’s a promise. Plus the staff at WHB is best (hands down) at making a deceased human body most presentable for viewing.

This is the time of year when so many kids across America take to the out of doors & go camping, like at a boys camp for a month of something like that. I’ve been thinking about it – you know how they have closing ceremonies – that’s when the parents come to take ‘em home… I think Heaven is a lot like that. When the kids are a camp, they don’t wanna go home – they wanna stay and play with their friends. While the kids were at camp, perhaps the parents cleaned the kid’s room – perhaps they even put on a new coat of paint and got ‘em a new lamp and bedspread or something. Okay, so back to the closing of camp… the father shows up and says he’s ready to take the child home – that he’s prepared his room & it’s all ready, but the kid doesn’t wanna go – he’s made himself at home there at camp & he’s got his friends – sure he wants to go home to see his old friends and his family – even how his room has been prepared… he’s got mixed feelings – he was feeling so ‘at home’ at camp. See… I think that’s how we, Christians, are… we’re spiritual beings who’ve come to earth for a while, like a kid would go to camp for a term. We get used to it, we make friends – it becomes our ‘home’ (away from home). At some point though, the Father comes to take us Home, for He’s prepared a Mansion for us in Paradise!!! And when That Father, Thee One & Only Father of Fathers comes a knockin… I believe it’s best that we take His hand;-)

Why is it that we pay so much attention to the forecast & then take precautions and prepare for the worst, such as tornados, hurricanes, etc. And yet it’s just a forecast. Then on the other hand, we have a guaranteed event, death, but we fail to prepare for it. Oh we might buy a cemetery plot and tell our family to just wrap us in a blanket & throw us in a ditch. But why is it that we’re so weak, we can’t even have a healthy, reasonable conversation with our family? I believe every person oughta prepare for this one guaranteed event. Then go have fun – enjoy life!

Today marks three (3) yrs since Yvonne died.  Hard to believe.  You know… I got to thinking, and I believe the premature death of a spouse (or perhpas even a child) changes us from who we were gonna b into who we were meant to b:)

Okay, so I’m shaving & I guess I got too close, but it caused an ingrown hair, and I hate it when that happens – I actually felt mad (for a second or two)!!  You know… I think anger is a lot like an ingrown hair.  Anger is, but one of the many mixed feelings associated with grief.  And of all those feelings, anger is probably the most dangerous – that’s if we don’t (appropriately) express it.  If we’re angry – I’m talking really mad – over a long period of time, and we’re not expressing that, then it’s like that ole strand of hair that just keeps on grownin… it literally gets under your skin!  And you know what happens then… that’s right… it gets red, it causes a bump, etc. – it’s ugly & it can even hurt – you gotta get it outta there.  Anger is the same way – if you don’t express it (appropriately of course), it’ll end up hurtin ya in the long run.  It’s a normal feeling we all have from time to time, especially as a part of grief.  Don’t let it get the best of ya:)

The other day, I was just thinking about how many different ways we can use the word, roll.  I mean, just think about it… the rolling hills, the clouds rolled in, old man river just keeps on rollin along, roll with the punches, how ’bout this one… Roll Tide!  There are others… like  – well, what about that Tina Turner song, Rollin on de River… then there’s ‘on a roll’ of course, and I’m sure there’s others – I just can’t think right now…  And then I was thinking… that word, roll, is a really good word, but I guess it can be used negatively too, like… ‘If he knew that, he’d be rollin over in his grave’, but I digress.  Usually, it’s a word of encouragement.  One of my favorites is ‘let’s roll’!  Y’all remember that one, don’tcha?!  In closing, I juswanna encourge you to keep on rollin along;-)  Just keep moving forward…

What if your in-law dies, someone with whom you were very close, and your spouse’s family arranges for a service that’s nothing at all like what you would have – perhaps so much so, that you’re beyone dissappointed – your a little mad…  But you have no say, because you’re (just) the in-law…  I actually have a dear friend (in another city) who’s going thru this right now.  Her mother-in-law died just this morning – they’re gonna cremate and have a very simple service, but my friend would prefer a more tradtional service.  Well… I say let ‘em do it their way, and then you have a service of remembrance, which you control!  It could be an intimate gathering with very close friends – perhaps even over lunch.  It could be that you actually go all out and rent a ‘party’ room somewhere and ‘entertain’ a larger group of extended friends and family.  It could be a time set aside where you simply, but very reverently kneel in a church all by yourself.  Or light a candle and look at old pictures.  Or whatever… be creative – do what works for you.  (I suggest you not do something big unless you have your spouse’s blessing!)  When it comes to ‘funerals’… there’s really no right or wrong.

What ideas do you have, or what have you known others to do who found themselves in this position?  I wish you’d share some of your thoughts on this – it’s a very important subject and this ‘conversation’ would surely help a lot of people!

I made it to 50!!  Wow, half a century!!  I had a great time on my big birthday – got lots of Greetings, which made me feel good.  I will admit… it kinda feels weird starting this fifth decade since Yvonne didn’t even make it through her fourth decade – she was really so young when she died – only 47 – that’s just too young to die – I almost feel kinda guilty for making it further than she – does that make sense???  I can’t believe she’s really dead.  And I can’t believe I’m really 50.  Man… I gotta get in better shape!  Remember the lyrics from that song in the movie, GREASE… ‘Better Shape Up’ – ooh, I got to – too much birthday cake & ice cream, but boy… was it good!!!