Rose's project

    I just got off of the phone with my friend, Rose.  Two weeks ago she fell on the ice and hurt her leg.  I can't remember what she did exactly but whatever it was is requiring her to sit with her leg in the air for a long time.  She is going stir crazy doing nothing and is trying to find ways to stay busy while sitting in her big reclining chair.  When I talked to her she was in the middle of planning her funeral.

    “What?”  I exclaimed.

    “My funeral” she replied in a very matter of fact tone of voice.

    “Are you trying to tell me something?”  I was hoping she wasn't.  I like her and want her to be around for a while.

   “I am sitting here trying to figure out what I want written and said at my funeral.  Why should my family have to deal with that at a time when, hopefully, they are sad?  I want to say some things that are important and maybe people will listen to me when I'm dead and gone!”

    “Are you depressed or something?  Do I need to come over there and cheer you up?  I don't know…Maybe we could play a game or something?  I was starting to get concerned.

    “Oh for silly!  I don't want to play games!   I have important business to attend to with this very important event planning.  There is no more important event in my life except maybe my birth.  But I didn't get to plan that.  I only showed up for the show!”  I heard her normally cheery voice coming through the phone line and I started to relax.  She wasn't suicidal or stressed out, she was simply nuts!

    “Ok, Ok,” I said.  This was a new one for me but I decided to hear her out.  “You are planning what is to be read or said at your funeral.  How are you going about this?”

   Rose continued, “I've already written the obituary.  My family probably doesn't realize how amazingly accomplished I am!  Who knows if they'll get all my facts straight?  Besides, I'm afraid they'll only remember the things that I wish they'd forget.  So, I've made myself sound like a combination of Mother Theresa and Queen Elizabeth with a little Marilyn Monroe thrown in for good measure!”

    “Marilyn Monroe!”  I chuckled.  I had never, ever thought of Marilyn Monroe in connection with my friend before….. maybe the Queen but never Marilyn.

    “Oh you know….I tried to make myself sound interesting, loving, kind, and ….gorgeous!  It is my funeral, remember.  It's my party and they have to believe what I say!”  She was sounding a bit ridiculous now.  Marilyn Monroe, really!

    “Seriously,” She continued, “This is important.  When I die I want everyone that I love and care about to know that I have entered heaven and that I love being there!  I want them to know the difference between knowing for sure that when you die you will be with Jesus and only hoping that you make it there because you are a good person.  So many of my friends and relatives think that if they try “real hard” and obey some laws that God will look upon them and approve of them.  They don't know how it really works.”  Rose's voice was becoming stronger as she relayed the following story.

    “A few weeks ago I saw an older woman in the nursing home.  She was sitting in her wheelchair quietly staring out the window at the snow falling.  As I watched her a tear slipped down her cheek and I wondered why she was sad. I looked at her frail body trapped by age and disease and I imagined that she had many reasons to despair.  Perhaps she was overwhelmed with pain or maybe she was lonely because no one came to visit. Or, it could be that she was discouraged with her life and frustrated at having to be dependent on others.

    Many reasons flew through my mind as I drew closer.  As I knelt down in front of her and took her hands in mine I gently asked her what was the matter. I wasn't prepared for her answer.  She turned to me with watery eyes and sweetly but firmly said, “Oh my!  I'm not really sad, my dear.  I'm just homesick for heaven.  I can't wait to see Jesus and explore the wonders that He has for me there!  Sometimes I just can't wait!!!”  

    “Anyway, as I have been sitting here looking at the four walls of my living room waiting for time to pass, I decided to try to use this time to make sure that everyone I know hears that message of hope!  If they don't listen when I'm alive, then they'll hear it when I'm dead!”   Her laughter was infectious and soon we said goodbye and I hung up the phone.

    I decided that maybe she had a point.  Perhaps facing death squarely in the face and acknowledging the absolute fact of its arrival at some point in our lives is the way to go.  The question then begs to be asked, do you know where you will spend eternity?  You will be spending it somewhere.  There are only two choices, heaven or hell, and the decision is yours to make.

                 

    “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

                   Have a good day!  Love, Sue