A quick reminder

Please live in such a way as to make your funeral easy for your preacher!

I did a memorial service today for a man that I did not know. We know the family through our kids and so when they needed someone to say something about "Grandpa" they wondered if I would help.

Now I don't mind telling you that I hate calls like that! It is very difficult to say something nice, accurate and meaningful about someone you have never met. I have been to too many funerals where the preacher either...

1. Gets up and says a bunch of things that everyone knows was not true (I have been to a few where I wanted to lift the coffin lid and see if I was in the right place... "Are we talking about the same dude here?") or.....

2. Reads a bunch of sappy poems and silly things that really just fill in time, but say nothing.

Fortunately, this family had a lot of good memories to share, stories to tell and things to say. In fact, I took notes on our conversation and filled up three pages of paper - and I did not list everything that they talked about.

In the end, I think the service was really nice! I was really glad that I went and that I was able to help them.

"Larry" lived in a way that gave me something to work with and something good to say. By the way, none of those good memories and nice things had to do with how much money he made, what kind of house he lived in, what kind of car he drove or where he had been. Every good memory centered on people - relationships - times spent together.

So that is your (and my) reminder for the day...... Live this day (and all the rest of your days) in a way that makes your funeral easy for the preacher. I don't want to what to struggle to come up with something nice to say about you. :)