In the past few weeks, several people in my life have died in their sleep. Gone to bed at night. Didn't wake up in the morning.

One of them was 95 year-old Iris Eriksen who was still going strong in the middle of her tenth decade. Here is something that was in her obituary and is so 'Iris':

"In lieu of flowers or gifts,
the family requests that you honor Iris’s memory
by visiting an elderly person,
returning your shopping cart,
unplugging appliances not in use,
eating all the food that you put on your plate,
tending your garden,
respecting the U.S. flag,
and
showing compassion for those going through
hard times."

When I am tempted to leave a shopping card out of its 'corral', I think of Iris!*

*

Another one was retired minister Bob Dishman, moving through his 70s. He was an elder in our church. A few weeks ago, our pastor slipped on the ice outside our church and did a 'face plant', leaving him with, among other things, a bloodied and swollen lip.

He called Bob to see if he would consider giving the message for Sunday's worship service. Bob agreed. It was the best sermon I had ever heard Bob preach.

As he concluded his message, Bob said that 'God had told him it was the last time he would ever be behind the pulpit'. With that he zipped his Bible, returned to his pew, and sat down.

He told a small group of us gals several days later that he thought it meant in the future, he would wear a microphone headset and wander around the church's platform. He never liked to be 'tethered' in one spot.

He dien't realize that it really was his last sermon behind the pulpit.

* 

Today's Max  Lucado:

FEAR OF LIFE'S FINAL MOMENT

"Maybe you share this deep desire: a desire to face death unafraid. To die without fright or a fight, perhaps even with a smile.

"Some say that’s impossible. But Christ promises in John 14:1-3, 'Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am' (TLB).

"Jesus experienced a physical and factual resurrection. And—here it is— because he did, we will too! If Jesus’ tomb is empty, then his promise is not. So let’s die with faith. Jesus grants courage for the final passage, death.  No need to dread it or ignore it. Because of Jesus Christ, you can face it."

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