The Celebration

(this is a pic of my brothers Bud, Steve and Tom and moi--I'm the good looking one--and our dear dad)

That's just what her funeral was. A Grand Celebration.

Mom's funeral was one of the happiest occasions of laying one to rest that I've ever attended.

That's because she was ready. She had lived for Jesus, had sung his praises all of her life--and now is singing a new song over in glory...

She wasn't perfect, not at all. But was perfect by the Blood of Jesus. Her sins were forgiven. She walked in peace and joy knowing she belonged to Christ.

There was no reason to grieve. That would have been selfish. So we sang instead.

We told stories. We shared fun times, funny times, happy things, grand occasions, memorable events. And we sang.

Mom had a song for every event. She sang while she worked, she sang while she played. And we played a recording of her singing, "I'll Sing A New Song Over in Glory" as the PowerPoint went through memorable photos of her.

As a family, growing up, we used to sing and play our instruments together. The first song we learned, and it became our family theme song, was "Mansion Over the Hilltop."

She had taught us all to sing. Music is in our blood. It just seemed appropriate for us to sing our family theme song at her promotion to Heaven.

And as my brothers and I stood on the platform at New Hope Assembly of God in Urbandale, Iowa, singing for Mom, we looked down at our dear Dad, sitting in his wheel chair in the center aisle next to the second row, smiling up at us and directing us with his hand, like he used to do when we played our instruments together so many, many years ago.

Alzheimers just can't take everything from your heart.

We all miss Mom. Especially Dad--he's grieving for her. But it's so wonderful to have the promise of Eternal Life. That's why Jesus died for us--to give us heaven and a New Song.