New Beginnings...

Yesterday, March 14, I sat with my fathers dwindling family as we gathered for the 2nd time in 4 months to honor the life and grieve the death of one of his brothers. The family of 8 siblings is now down to 5, and the gray hairs and stooped postures give evidence to the relentless march of age. Yet this funeral was so different from some of the others. Rather than a ceremony marking the end of something, it was a celebration marking the beginning of his eternal life with his Father, God.
My uncle Royce was a man with passion. He was passionate about his country. He served in the armed forces, and to listen to him you would understand that he single-handedly defeated the Germans. He then served in the Civil Air Patrol for over 50 years. 50 years! That's a huge committment. As they presented him with 3 awards, posthumously, I couldn't help but think how I wished he had gotten these while he lived. It would have meant so much to him, and he would have been so thrilled with the recognition.
Uncle Royce was also passionate about God. He served as a bi vocational pastor for 50 years while working for the state of North Carolina. He led a number of congretations, but his life spoke of his faith and his love for God. As I sat there listening to a chaplain expound on his life, it was hard to be sad that he was gone. Alzeheimers had robbed him of everything he had known on this earth, and his body was ravaged by aging process. His life isn't over...it's just begun! This time, it's not a practice, it's for eternity.
The chaplain did not know Uncle Royce, but he did a great job of sharing my uncle's passion. He blatently laid out the gospel for all those that were there, and emphasized that we don't live this life for ourselves, it's not about us, it's about sharing the love of Christ with others. I'm sure there were those there that did not appreciate the message, but I wanted to raise my fist and say, "YES".
My uncle's life was not easy. There has been pain, loss, grief, disappointment, and problems. But, there was also friendship, family, laughs, and memorable experiences. But through everything, he never lost his faith. He never lost his hope in God. He continued to love God and people, and share Jesus with those he met. I hope that when I am gone, and my friends and family gather at my funeral, the people there will realize that it's not the end...it's only the beginning and they raise their fists and say, "YES!"