Tammy Lynn Bounds Eaves
November 10, 1969 – December 17, 2009
OBITURARY
Mrs. Tammy Lynn Bounds Eaves was born on November 10, 1969 and passed away on December 17, 2009 at Neshoba County General Hospital. She was preceded in death by her father Winfred C. Bounds.
Those surviving her are her husband Paul Eaves, Mother Chestean Bounds, Son Matthew Eaves, Stepsons Jamie Eaves and Michael Eaves, Brother Winfred Scott Bounds and his wife Tammy, and a grandchild Jason Laine Eaves.
EULOGY
INTRODUCTION
Tammy was a 1987 graduate of Neshoba Central High School and 1995 graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education. Her field of concentration was Special Education and was a school teacher for approximately seven years. Tammy’s teaching career was cut short due to her health problems. Still, she accomplished the work God set for her to do and she touched lives.
I once heard a story of a man who was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a person going back and forth between the surf’s edge and the beach. Back and forth this person went. As the man approached he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide. The man was stuck by the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish. Many of them were sure to perish. As he approached, the person continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf. As he came up to the person he said, "There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can’t possibly make a difference." The person looked at the man. He then stooped down and picked up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He then turned back to the man and said, "It made a difference to that one!"
Tammy made a difference in the lives of the students she taught. She loved teaching and loved the children that she taught. Tammy was a good teacher and she made a difference. After much prayer it is my belief that Tammy would have me take this time to share some things with you that I believe she would have me to say.
I LOVE YOU
Tammy would first want her family and friends, her husband Paul, her son Matthew, and her mother Chestean – to know that she loves you. Because of her illness, there were times that Tammy was unable to express her love for her family as she would have liked to. But she loves you now and will always love you.
I’M NOT HURTING NOW
Tammy would want you to know that she is not hurting now. She is not suffering any more. She has been given a new body. I would take nothing away from the grief we feel today. I would not say everything is all right, because it is not. We hurt. And we know we will hurt for a long time, and our grief is a dark valley we have to trudge through before we feel all right again. God made us so that we can feel the pain of grief. He made us so that we can have a relationship with Him and one another. When that relationship is lost we feel pain. We pay the price of relationships and courageously we go on with relationships because they are worth it. Today we have lost a loved one - and it hurts.
Scripture tells us that our bodies of flesh are perishable, truly ashes to ashes, dust to dust. But it goes on to tell us that if we trust in Christ, we will be raised in glory...we will be raised with a spiritual body. A relationship with Christ is our hope for eternal life.
In 1 Corinthians 15 scripture tells us:
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Tammy has been released from a body that has been failing for some time now. On Thursday night, the heavens opened up for Tammy and she was immediately ushered into the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She was given a new body – a spiritual body. Tammy no longer has to take psychiatric medicine; she no longer has diabetes or heart and lung problems. She is no longer suffering.
This body is like this glove. The hand represents the spirit. As long as the hand is in the glove, the glove can move and work. The hand is the real life inside. When we die and go to be with the Lord, we lay the glove down. The spirit, which is who we really are, is given a new spiritual body more beautiful than we can imagine.
I believe Daddy was waiting for Tammy on the other side of Jordan’s River, along with Mamo and Paw Paw. Tammy is now experiencing more joy than we could ever imagine in all of our lifetimes.
I HAVE A NEW HOME
Tammy would want you to know this afternoon that she has a brand new home, not made with hands.
In John 14 Jesus tells us:
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions;[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Revelation 21 offers A Description of Heaven, Tammy’s new home:
4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
I. HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE
Heaven is not an unreal, indifferent place. It is a place as literal and concrete as the house you live in today.“Many mansions” literally means “dwelling places”.
II. HEAVEN IS A PERMANENT PLACE
1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.
III. HEAVEN IS A PERSONAL PLACE
1. People are there.
a.. Elijah was taken up in a chariot.
b. Paul was taken up to Heaven – He called it Paradise
2. Jesus is there. He was taken up at the ascension.
IV. HEAVEN IS A HOLY PLACE
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Heaven will be holy because of what is not there. No sin, no sickness, no sorrow, no pain, no more death.
V. HEAVEN IS A REWARD
1. It is a reward for those who say “YES” to Jesus.
2. It is a place of preparation. No one is there by accident.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
VI. HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF REUNION
King David said at the death of his infant son, “You cannot come to me but I can go to you.”
Who is there?
1. Jesus is there.
2. Our Heavenly Father is there.
3. Those who have died in the Lord before us.
4. Those who will die in the Lord after us.
5. You will be there – if you made your reservation.
Tammy made her reservation for heaven a long time ago. During the time Tammy was in the critical care unit I asked her if she was prepared to meet God if he should call her, Tammy told me that she was. That everything was ok between her and the Lord and that she was prepared.
TAKE CARE OF MY SON
One of Tammy’s greatest joys in life was her son Matthew. Tammy loved Matthew very much. Tammy knew the risk involved in having the surgery that she did. She felt that her health problems had got to the point that she had to take the chance or surely not survive anyway. She wanted to get better and she wanted to be there for her son. The one request Tammy made repeatedly was to please make sure that Matthew is taken care of. Tammy always made sure Matthew had the things he needed for school and spared no expense in trying to provide for Matthew to the best of her ability.
Matthew went with our Church last month to a State Youth Convention and on Saturday night, November 21, 2009, Matthew accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Driving back home we called Tammy at the hospital and told her. Tammy cried. She was so happy that Matthew made the decision to follow Jesus in his life.
Matthew has asked to be baptized at Pine Grove Church of God. Tammy had asked that we wait until she was able to be in attendance. After sometime in January, Matthew will be baptized and I know that Tammy would be very pleased.
It is up to us now, to make sure that Tammy’s number one request is met. We should all support Matthew in his desire to be a Christian and to follow Jesus. The Bible gives a strong warning to anyone who would become a stumbling block for one of his children:
Matthew 18 gives a stern warning regarding those who are His:
1At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
6But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
MEMORIES OF TAMMY
When the doctor told me that Tammy had passed away Thursday night, immediately, thousands of memories began to flood my mind. Scenes played out before my eyes one after another. My first memory of my sister was that of her asleep in her baby bed. As a five year old boy, I wanted to pick my new sister some wildflowers. I brought them into the house and mother suggested that we put them in a vase near her bed instead of putting them inside the bed with her because she might eat them or be allergic to them.
Later, when I was around 12 and Tammy was 7, a new dog came up the road and decided to take up residence at our house. Tammy had already seen the dog before, but I had not. There was a fence in the front yard. When I first saw the dog, I thought it was a fox that came out of the woods and was chasing me. As I dove over the fence to escape the supposed fox, Tammy laughed so hard she began to roll on the ground. That little brown dog became a part of our family for a long time.
Perhaps one of Tammy’s most shining moments was when she invited us to be in attendance at her honoring for making the Dean’s List at Mississippi State University. Tammy was a very intelligent young lady and she studied hard. We drove to Starkville that evening and met at Humphrey Coliseum. We were all so proud of Tammy as her name was called and she walked forward to receive her certificate of scholarship from then President of the University, Donald Zacharias. Just as Tammy was honored for her scholarship then, she is rewarded now and will live forever with our Lord and Savior.
CLOSING
THIS MORNING AS I WALKED INTO MY DAUGHTER’S ROOM, I FOUND A LETTER WRITTEN TO HER AUNT TAMMY. IT READS:
“DEAR AUNT TAMMY, I LOVE YOU AND I’M GOING TO TAKE CARE OF MATTHEW. I AM SO GLAD HE GOT SAVED AND IS GOING TO GET BAPTIZED. I KNOW YOU WOULD NOT CARE AND YOU ARE IN OUR HEARTS AND I KNOW YOU ARE RIGHT BESIDE US EVERY MINUTE. I JUST HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS I WILL JUST HAVE TO ASK YOU WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN. –YOUR NIECE, LAUREN.”
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE SEE OUR SAVIOR FACE TO FACE AND OUR LOVED ONES GREET US WELCOME ON THAT DISTANT SHORE, ALL THE QUESTIONS WE’VE EVER HAD - WON’T MATTER ANYMORE.
I LOVE YOU SIS.
Credit for the words on "A Hurting Family" is given to: A New Body by Tom Shepard.
Credit for the outline description of heaven is given to: Heaven (a funeral sermon) by Howard McGlamery
