Day after tomorrow I'll be presiding at the funeral service for the fourth member of our congregation to pass away in the past our months. One person a month beginning last November. Florence, Pat, Betty, and Jim. All had surpassed the "three score and ten" years marker - a frequent achievement in our church.
While one natural focus for Christians on such occasions is the hope of the resurrection, there is another, life before death. It is for this that we have stories at hand. I notice that when a loved one goes to be with Christ to await the resurrection, we tell stores of what they gave to us of themselves in the life before death. "He taught me to drive." "He encouraged me in my struggle." "She always had a smile for me." And so on.
Today we are writing the stores that will be told of us when our time comes.
