Yesterday was the celebration of a life well lived for my friends son. As most of you know I am somewhat of a funeral snob. I have been going to them since I was a young child. Some people believe that children should not attend funerals. I have the opposite belief, death is the great equalizer and it will come to every single one of us eventually.
I have to tell you all this was one of the best send offs I have been to, I really hate that it was for someone so young, but the people that came and spoke showed that this young man did what he was supposed to here on earth.
It was a packed sanctuary, standing room only, people were even sitting in the choir. When the preacher, and yes he was a preacher, not a minister, asked if anyone would like to say a few words, friends of this young man went up.
They all had the same thing to say, a ready smile, generous, would give you the shirt off of his back, but I already knew that, see when you know the head of the household, you know the heart of the household.
When the heart is not happy, the leader of the household is not happy, and my friend is a happy man. I knew those things already about his son.
It was when one of his Army buddies got up and spoke that I saw the real heart of this young man. Who he was as a man, his friend told the story of the place they met. He said they literally met in hell, it was Afghanistan, and they were fighting insurgents. He said that his friend was the beaming light in that place and actually led him to Christ by his actions and by showing the light of Jesus in that incredibly dark place.
That testimony did not surprise me, knowing my friend the way I do, I have no doubt this is the way he and his wife raised their family.
The preacher was incredible, he said my friend requested an old fashioned sermon and he delivered. If you have never been to an old fashioned Baptist church you will not get what I am going to tell you. I suggest you find one and go, when the preacher began to speak you could feel the Holy Spirit in that place. It was amazing to hear the words spoken in a time when so many churches are saying feel good words. This was the truth spoken, and I could feel it in my soul.
The coming months will be hard for my friend and his family, please continue to lift them up in prayer. It is never easy to lose a child, but they can take comfort that their son did what he was supposed to do on this earth. Show the light of Jesus in his every day actions and words.
Angie World 