Monday, Monday ... no big deal

That's right, folks. It 's just another day in the life of a retired guy.
But this particular day is a little bit different and it is fitting that it falls on a Monday.

Typically, Sundays are good days. I spend many Sundays away from my home church of Hopedale and am often found preaching at one of the many rural churches of Southwest Missouri or traveling home from a weekend event somewhere.
Yesterday, I was home.

Sunday mornings at home mean I get to sit in with the Hopedale Youth group and be a part of their Sunday morning Bible study. It also means that I get to worship with great friends and hear one of the best preachers I know deliver his weekly sermon. By noon, I have to say that I was having a very good Sunday. God spoke to me through His people, His pastor, and His Word.

Yesterday afternoon was not a typical Sunday afternoon of napping and watching baseball. Yesterday afternoon was a day to celebrate the life of one of our church members and to offer condolences to his family.
Any Sunday with two morning service and an evening service can be physically taxing for a pastor that takes such responsibilities seriously. Add in a memorial/funeral service and some personal physical issues and it can quickly become too much.
I sensed that this might be one of those days for my pastor and asked if there was anything I could do to help. He asked if I might have a sermon in my pocket that I could use to fill in for him for the evening service.
What kind of preacher would I be if I couldn't talk about our Lord and Savior on short notice? I ended up preaching last night's service.

There are days or weeks that make you pause to think about just how fleeting life can be. In the past week, two men of our church (both much younger than me) lost their fathers (both younger than my dad). The second funeral will be this afternoon, but due to the distance (only an hour away) and our schedule we will be unable to make it.
Oddly enough, as people talked about Bill (yesterday's service) -- the life he lived as a father, husband, friend, child of God -- it wasn't my own dad I was thinking of. I was wondering what people will say of me at my funeral. I was even wondering who might show up for my funeral!

I imagine that most of the people that will be there, will be there as friends of Chris and the kids to give comfort and support to them. I somehow doubt that I will have had the impact on as many lives as Bill had. I don't expect that people will say bad things about me -- that would be in pretty poor taste. But what if people were free to say what they really thought and felt?
What would they say about me?
What would they say about you?

We are blessed with today. We should make it a day that makes a difference for somebody. I know that I will not be the out-going-talk-to-anyone-and-everyone kind of guy that Bill was. But that doesn't mean that I can't do something to encourage or strengthen someone ... today!

If you could prepare your funeral service ... for next week:
Whom would you invite?
What would they say about you?
How will you be remembered?
And by whom?

Hmmm...
Hopefully, I'll have lots more time and can work on changing some of those answers.

John <><