Friday, January 25, 2013

Have you planned your funeral yet?

It's probably not what you're thinking! We attended a funeral today, for a dear, sweet, Christian lady. I was only privileged to know her for a few months, but she was like family to me. She told me that she was going to 'adopt' me, since I was away from my family. She looked out for me at church when Steve was working. She knew when Steve was laid off, and on several occasions, she either gave us food, or offered to get us some, if we needed it. When we found out we were pregnant, I think she was as excited as my own mom was! And when we lost the baby, she mourned with us just as deeply.
The chapel at her funeral was filled to overflowing. Every seat was taken, and people were standing along the sides and in the back of the room. All of these people were ones that she had touched in some way during her life.  That's what got me thinking - if this were my funeral, would the crowd be as large? Have I reached out to that many people during my life? More importantly, are there people who know the love of God, because they know me?
I know that we shouldn't do these things to gain the praise of men, that's not what I'm trying to say. My goal is not to see how many people I can pack in for my funeral. I just want to try to influence more people for Christ. At the end of my life, I want someone to be able to say that their life was better because I was part of it, because I had showed them the way to God.  I don't make New Year's Resolutions, but I want to make a Life Resolution: Every thing I do, every day, I want to make sure it is for the purpose of glorifying God.