Song: This is the Day
1. Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
"For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. The Funeral is a universal custom. It is our attempt to:
a. Remember
b. Honor
c. Offer Comfort
d. Prepare
3. Funerals remind us of:
a. The Certainty of Death (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
b. The Shortness of life (James 4:14)
c. The Shortage of life (John 10:10)
d. The sovereignty of God and Reality of Eternity.
4. We preach our funerals by the way we live. In many ways, Edna lived a full life and has an eternal life to enjoy.
Song: I Come to the Garden Alone
Obituary
Storybook Romance
Roy and Edna met at an amusement park. She was waiting to ride "The Love Bug." She noticed Roy on the other side of the ride but thought he was with another woman. She turned away and when she turned back Roy was standing by her and asked, "Want to ride the Love Bug?" Three months later they were married. They said that they met at an amusement park and after a whirlwind romance were married.
Song: Old Rugged Cross
Eulogy
Bobby's and Brenda's Notes (Donna included characteristics that they describe)
10 A good wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant,
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and tasks for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds her loins with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor,
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers girdles to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31.10-31
I. A Mother's Work
WHAT'S THAT OLD SAYING" "Man works from sun to sun, but woman's work is never done."
Mothers do all kinds of work.
- She sews v. 13, 19, 22 "She selects wool...and works with eager hands."
- She shops v. 14 "bringing her food from afar."
Edna was "Thrifty" -- great at couponing and garage sales -- if someone mentioned a particular item that they needed (camping, etc.) she would find it at a garage sale and give it to them -- she always had the knack to find quality items.
- She cooks v. 15 "She provides food for her family..."
- She gardens v. 16 "She plants a vineyard..."
Jenny -- "Edna was a hardcore yard worker, a slave driver in getting things done correctly."
Jason spoke of wanting to help with yard work but would pull the wrong flowers -- she restrained her frustration and had to help him pull the right ones.
Our text also says that mothers v. 15 "get up while it is still dark" to prepare food. And v. 18 "her lamp does not go out at night."
v. 27 "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread idleness." She isn't lazy.
Bobby and Donna spoke of her providing what the children needed -- even making and repairing their clothes.
She oversaw the family -- even in protecting the children from snakes. Many people would run from snakes -- she ran to them to protect the family.
II. A Mother's Instruction
v. 26 "She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue."
Scripture -- You shall teach them diligently to your children; Deuteronomy 6; Ephesians 6
* [Heart of the English Bible article from her Bible -- Psalm 118.8: It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
* Church commitment -- present Sunday and Wednesday services -- no Wonderful World of Disney or Wizard of Oz
Life --
Organizational skills of Edna --
* Packing -- Master at packing the trunk and the inside of the car for camping trips, etc. There was no room left to pack anything when she was finished
* Bagged up coins or other things that Jason (or others) might have left at their house; he would come back by and find his bagged items with his name inside waiting for him/them
* Her skills were passed on to children -- pictures organized and labeled by date -- easy to put together the slide show for this morning
Discipline
* More of a disciplinarian than Roy
* Annoying bell to use to wake up the children (Donna managed to hide it)
* Used the thin wooden balloon sticks as a switch to swat and discipline (Roy thumped heads)
Record-Keeping
* Started a book on miles and gas mileage for the car because the gas gauge had broken and they needed to know when to fill up -- practice continued
* Journal of people who visited their house; how long they stayed; etc. -- color coded so they could easily look up the visits
* Recorded her bingo games
Experience
* Job Selections
Edna grew us as a Roman Catholic. One unusual thing that would happen to her is that when the incense was brought by in the services, the odor caused her to pass out.
At one point she wanted to work making parachutes. The applicants were told that if they were susceptible to fainting they should not take the job. She took the job and the odor made her pass out. She lost the job the same day she got it.
III. A Mother's Love
31.11-12 "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life."
Roy often had to force Edna to buy a dress or things for herself -- she was always more concerned with others' well-being than her own.
"It is My Wish" not from her bible
An epitaph on his wife's tombstone written by her husband after 60 years of marriage, read, "SHE ALWAYS MADE HOME HAPPY."
Roy and Edna had been married 68 years!!
Edna made Roy and the family happy by the life she lived; the words she spoke; and the selfless provisions she made
Slide Show
Song: I'll Fly Away
