Makes Me Think! Make Today Count! (Funeral)

MAKES ME THINK! MAKE TODAY COUNT!

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (FUNERAL, during funeral I give small stone with MTC on them… MAKE TODAY COUNT)

Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

YEARS AGO I HAD A FRIEND THATWOULD TELL ME: GOD SHOULD GIVE US A WARNING THAT DEATH IS COMING. HE SAID: MAYBE GOD SHOULD TELL US A MONTH IN ADVANCE, OR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS IN ADVANCE THAT DEATH WAS COMING. THEN WE WOULD HAVE TIME TO CHANGE. HE SAID LIKE A TWO MINUTE WARNING AT A FOOTBALL GAME.

Well, God did warn us: THERE ARE TWO APPOINTMENTS SET… Seems we tend to lose LIVING in the daily menial choices we make.

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

1989, 30 years ago we accepted the pastorate of this church in Smiths Grove. The next year my son Wade was 14, a freshman at Warren East High School.

I was in Wade’s room dumping out the garbage can. I knew he was working on a poem for his English class. His garbage can was full of discarded attempts of poems. The wadded up papers filled the can. On the top was this poem. I pulled it out and read it. This poem has been published several times.

MAKES ME THINK!

BY WADE MARTIN HUGHES, JR.

DEATH IS SOMETHING THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE,

NOW OR LATER FOR YOU AND ME.

I WONDER HOW?

AND I WONDER WHY?

ACCIDENTLY? OR NATURUALLY?

HOW WILL I DIE?

I GUESS THIS MAKES ME THINK ABOUT HOW I WILL LIVE?

LIFE IS NOT ONLY TAKE, BUT IT IS ALSO A TIME TO GIVE.

WITHOUT LOVE, AND WITHOUT FRIENDS,

LIFE WOULD BE USELESS TO ALL ENDS.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOUR LAST BREATH?

THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUBJECT OF DEATH.

IS IT WITH EASE?

OR IS IT WITH GREAT PAIN?

IS IT ALL LOSS?

OR IS IT GREAT GAIN?

LIFE IS SO SHORT,

DO WHAT YOU CAN.DO SOMETHING SPECIAL TO HELP YOUR FELLOW MAN.

DEATH MAY COME WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT!

SO PLEASE TREAT EACH DAY

WITH A GREAT DEAL OF LOVE AND RESPECT.

THE CERTAINITY OF UNCERTAINITY…

My Dad is 88 and has pastored 67 years, 18 churches in 5 states. I ask him the other day, Dad what have you learned in 88 years. He said: Son nothing surprises me anymore. Two of my greatest lessons have been: #1. I have learned how sweet and wonderful and giving and understanding people can be. He thought for a few seconds and then said: #2. I am amazed at how mean spirited and cruel people can be.

Well, he went on to say: SOMETIMES IT IS THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND AND THEN ARE MEAN.

Death is always an UNEXPECTED TWIST in our journey. THE BEST LAID PLANS MAY NEVER BE ACCOMPLISHED. There may be storms that blow? The facts we know may just be our perspective and they may be invalid.

James 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

THE WORSE THING WE COULD EVER CONCLUDE IS I HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. PROCRASTINATION IS A TERRIBLE WAY TO LIVE.

I can never understand life or death? Life is always unexpected even if we realize; LIFE IS TEMPORARY AT BEST.

THE GREAT HARRY HOUDINI… the most well know escapist, Houdini said: I THERE IS A WAY TO ESCAPE DEATH, I WILL FIND IT AND I SHALL RETURN. HOUDINI DIED OCTOBER 31, 1926… He left seal papers that only he would know, so when he returned everyone would know. IN THE LAST 83 YEARS HARRY HOUDINI IS STILL DEAD.

TODAY: FROM DUST TO DUST, EARTH TO EARTH AND ASHES TO ASHES…

1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

MAKE TODAY COUNT…. There is a lesson o be learned for those that remain? WILL WE LEARN IT?

MAKE TODAY COUNT! TRY A LITTLE HARDER. GIVE A LITTLE MORE. REACH A LITTLE LOWER TO THE CAST DOWN. LOVE THE UNLOVABLE… THE PERSON THAT NEEDS YOUR LOVE THE MOST DESERVES IT THE LEAST. INVEST IN THE CHURCH AND THE FAMILY.

His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com