surreal fog
i think this was the summer of 2006. what a handsome man!
at moments i forget what day it is, if i have eaten, when the last time i fed sweetpea.
but in the midst of those moments of forgetfulness, i realize that he isn't on his way home.... or up asleep.... or out at a job site. he is at home in heaven.
We are grateful you are here to help us mourn, to help us grieve and to help us celebrate the life of an amazing man. My brother said last night that he was a man whose heart had been gripped by Christ, and that turned him into a man who gripped each of us. But most importantly, we are grateful you are here to worship the risen Lord with us this morning. It is what DAD loved to do above all else, and there is nothing else we can do that is more important than to come into the presence of our loving heavenly Father and give him our praise.
A Christian funeral service is not for the dead, it is for the living. . . This worship is for us. God is present in power here, for us. We need to grieve but not as those without hope. We need to find joy in Dad’s death, and I don’t know how to do that except be here with God with you.
I’ve thought about what DAD would think about a packed house here to celebrate his life. And I think he’d be ok with it as long as celebrating him leads you to celebrate Christ who made him, changed him, saved him and loved him. He’d want you to reflect on his life as long as that leads you to give glory to God and honor to His name.
Our call to worship is found in Psalm 118. I can’t help but feel that the wrong John Sweet is calling you into worship. He loved leading worship here. It is one of my enduring memories of DAD at Trinity. Sitting on that front row with us when we visit and walking up to this microphone and leading worship. It shouldn’t be time for me to take over from him. Yet in faith I know that it is. This is the new plan God has for us, and this is the best first step we can take.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
my husband got to do the call to worship for his father's funeral on saturday.
it was amazing. here are some things he said:
A Christian funeral service is not for the dead, it is for the living. . . This worship is for us. God is present in power here, for us. We need to grieve but not as those without hope. We need to find joy in Dad’s death, and I don’t know how to do that except be here with God with you.
I’ve thought about what DAD would think about a packed house here to celebrate his life. And I think he’d be ok with it as long as celebrating him leads you to celebrate Christ who made him, changed him, saved him and loved him. He’d want you to reflect on his life as long as that leads you to give glory to God and honor to His name.
Our call to worship is found in Psalm 118. I can’t help but feel that the wrong John Sweet is calling you into worship. He loved leading worship here. It is one of my enduring memories of DAD at Trinity. Sitting on that front row with us when we visit and walking up to this microphone and leading worship. It shouldn’t be time for me to take over from him. Yet in faith I know that it is. This is the new plan God has for us, and this is the best first step we can take.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
you can see the obituary.
Comments
praying for you.
thank you for the update and for sharing john's words here. what a gift and testimony to be able to mourn in the midst of that kind of hope and joy.
peace and love to all of you.