Funeral Eulogy Clemmie Sims 6/20/2002
Psalms 116:15-15
Clemmie Sims
God took notice and smiled on Saturday morning, and all that great crowd witnesses that surround us gave out a loud cheer as Sister Clemmie Sims rose up out of her bed and took her place among the saints who have gone on before us. There was no question as to whether or not she had a spot, because she believed the promises of Jesus, when Jesus said in the word of God, “I am going away to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, that you also may be where I am.”
As believers, we do not see death as an end, but as entering into the greater promise that Jesus had given to us. All we have to do is take a look at death from God’s perspective and we know, there’s a whole lot more good things to come. The word of God says in Psalms 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." This means that on June 15th, 2002 Clemmie Sims, brought joy in a special way to the heart of God.
What was it about her that moved the heart of God? What was it about her, that moved our hearts to tears, when we discovered that she was now waiting for our arrival in heaven? What was it about her that caused us to celebrate last night and to rejoice today? She was more than a daughter, more than a wife, more than a mother, more than a sister, more than a relative, more than a good friend, and more than a strong Black woman. Brothers and sisters I submit to you this day, that Clemmie Sims was, and still is, a servant and a child of the Most High God.
The actual date of Sister Sims death is probably not written down in a record book that we can easily get our hands on, you see the date on the obituary refers to the date her body cease to function. The real Clemmie Sims, the part that lives forever, died a long time ago, when she heard of the call of Jesus Christ as a young girl upon her life. That date was recorded in heaven, because of the celebration which took place because of her conversion.
Jesus said, , "If any of you would come after me, you must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their lives will lose it, but whoever loses their lives for me will find it. What good will it be for a you to gain the whole world, and yet lose your soul? Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he or she has done.
Sister Sims picked up her cross to follow Jesus Christ, thereby making her death on Saturday just a means of passing from one form of service to God to another.
How do you go about denying yourself to follow Jesus? It begins with the realization that there is more to life than what we can see around us. It continues with the understanding that everyday, all of us are making choices for our lives that affect us and others. Not only are choices being made, the word of God tells us that a record is being kept of every decision that we make, and that one day we will give an account to God for those decisions.
There use to be a beer commercial ad that said, "you only live once, give it all the gusto you can in life." That slogan actually comes from the Old Testament in the bible. Only the beer commercial stopped halfway with the verse. The verse goes on to say, give it all you got, but realize that God is going to hold you accountable for the way you live it. If you were to die today, would you be ready to give God an account for the decisions you have made, and would you know with a certainty that you would spend eternity in heaven with God? If the answer is not yes, then perhaps your life is being lived in vain.
The good news about Mrs. Sims, is that her living has not been in vain, because she died in expectation of going before God, with Jesus Christ defending her cause. She left this earth not trusting in her goodness, but in the grace and mercy found in Jesus Christ.
God gives each of us an assignment to work with in this world. God provides us all with a gift to offer. In thinking of the verse which probably captures the essence of the ministry and mission of Clemmie Sims, “I think of the verse found in 1 John 3:17 in which it says, “if anyone has material possessions and sees someone in need, but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him or her.”
Ms. Sims was a living reality that it does not depend on how much we have, but on how much we’re willing to give of what we do have. Rufus never forgot the day as a little boy when his mother pointed to a kid who did not have any gloves. She looked and said, “look, that little boy doesn’t have any gloves on, and his hands are freezing.” She didn’t have any gloves to offer, but she went into the house and got some socks to rap around that child’s hands. The child did not know her and she did not know him, but the love of God in her heart brought to the forefront the compassion that was there. She taught her son compassion that day without realizing she was impacting his life for a lifetime. Praise God for godly mothers.
Ms. Sims came bouncing her way into the world in Birmingham, Alabama in the year 1913. Now that lets you know she was either going to be a strong woman or a battered one because of what life was like for a black woman in the deep south at the turn of the century. Any one who knows Ms. Sims knows that she chose to be a strong woman. Contrary to what some of her family members descriptions of her as being feisty, fussy, and opinionated at times. The truth is, Ms. Sims was simply a liberation freedom fighter willing to wear down her opponents to help them see the truth and value of her opinions.
Ms. Sims knew what is was to be the center of attention as an only child. Her father loved her and didn’t mind showing it. Was she spoiled? Absolutely, positively yes. Did she have a good self image? You better believe it, and she did not mind telling you, “when she was a child, she was cute just like Gwen.”
Her life is an example that sometimes even a big mistake can turn out to be a rich blessing. She was all prepared to meet this daring young man, and somehow something happened and instead she met his brother by mistake. That mistake led to 41 years of happiness with the man of her dreams. Now the first 12 years of their marriage, they did not have any kids. Rumor has it that both of them were such talkers who talked all the time, that they did not have time for anything else.
Well they did listen to each other long enough to be on the same page and three wonderful children came forth. Ms. Sims loved her husband greatly and he loved her. He gave her the same spoiled treatment that she got from her dad and she loved it. He was attentive to her and made sure she had a good time. He was a hard worker, but they enjoyed their partying and socializing time together.
It was as if the two had been made for each other. She was a wife who went above and beyond to please her man. She believed in not only having his meal ready, she was ready to serve it to him as well. When they made their commitment till death do us part, they kept it to each other. Their commitment was not only to each other, but to family and others. Rufus, Shirley and Gwen remember their parents always taking in someone into their home for some reason or another.
The gift of generosity and giving was a part of their lives. You couldn’t come into their home without being forced to eat something whether you were hungry or not. Only the Lord knows how many times she said, “come on in and eat some chicken.” Sister Sims if she saw you had a need, she would just try to sneak you something and give it to you on the sly. If you said you didn’t need it, she could see through your pride and would tell you “just take it anyways just in case something comes up.” She and her husband were a great team in being a blessing to the lives of many.
After he was gone, she kept the memory of him alive in two different ways. First, when Rufus was not pampering her as she wanted to be pampered, she let him know, “You ain’t like your daddy.” On the other hand, “Tory remembers how she would tell him what his grandfather had been like, and the qualities he should adopt in his life for his family.” He’s grateful that his grandmother took the time to help him know who his grandfather was since he had died before Tory was born.
Sister Sims also had a great sense of humor. After her husband died, she remembered what it was like to have been married when she was young. Whenever we were having and kind of social event at the church, if you asked her was she coming her response would be, “Is there going to be any single young men there.” I want me a young man. These old fellows can’t keep up with me.”
Sister Sims has always been very protective of her children. She wanted them to be good kids and good parents. They thought at times she was a little strict, but they knew she always had their back. Ms. Sims felt that it was proper for any young man who was dating her daughter to come to the house dressed with a shirt and tie. Would you believe that Gwen had John come to pick her up for a date in his swim suit. Ms. Sims said, “Boy you’re about naked, go home and put on some clothes.”
Ms. Sims must have liked what he looked like in that suit, because after that she would always be willing to cook for John and would get on Gwen’s nerves telling her she didn’t know how to treat John. Gwen was tempted to tell her, she should go ahead and marry John then.
Never has a mother been happier to have two of her children spend so much time down at the jail. Fortunately they both leave everyday because one is a lawyer and the other a bondsperson. Ms. Sims knew what it was like to be loved by her children. She lived with Rufus & Yvonne for most of their marriage, and then lived with Gwen & John. There is a small rumor that Ms. Sims wasn’t always easy to get along with. To let you know that she was still an independent woman, she had plenty of plastic blue bags in her room to let you know, “I can always leave when I get ready to go.”
Ms. Sims love which flowed to her children, even overflowed and ran down the side in the love for her grandchildren. They looked up to her with great admiration and respect. She didn’t mind telling the boys, “why are you wearing your pants way down like that.” Why don’t you put on a tie and a coat like your father?” But when they put that tie and coat, she let them know just how fine looking they were. She’d also let her girls know, isn’t that dress a little too tight, or a little too short?” They too patiently listened to grandma, as she would say, “you don’t want to be too common” and she had an impact on them learning to be modest. She’d likewise tell them, how beautiful they were on a regular basis.
Each moth she would set aside money from her social security check to give to the grandchildren. Even after some of them were grown she was still setting it aside. It did not matter that they told her she didn’t have to do it. She still was balling up money putting it in their hands on the sly. She did let Tory know, that since he was married, part of his portion was to go to Janelle. Tory remembers that her last words to him concerned her great grandchild Trinity. She told him, “make sure you take care of that baby.”
Ms. Sims love and acceptance of her grandchildren, led to many of their friends adopting her as their grandmother. The neighborhood kids knew her and would come by with a kiss for her. When you invest in things that matter, you always get a great return.
What were some of the special moments she left as a legacy? Every Family holiday meal began with a prayer and a bible verse. Who cannot smell the greens she was cooking and the barbecuing that took place every holiday. She granted permission only to John to cook those ribs.
Every morning when she got out of bed and her feet touched the floor, you would hear her say “Thank you Jesus” Each time you said goodbye you would hear “See you tomorrow if the good Lord says so.” Whenever you took her somewhere, “Here’s some money for the gas. Get it while I have it, because I might not have any next time.” The family all remembered how she put others ahead of herself. She was always the last person in the house to eat a meal.
She always wanted to do what she could to make a contribution on her part. She was affectionately called the kitchen police. No one was allowed in the kitchen to do the dishes but her. She’d even take your plate from the table before you finished in order to wash it. If you’d complained, she’d simply say, “there’s plenty more, just get you another plate.”
As Sister Sims grew older, she continued to grow wiser. She developed a wonderful trait known as selective hearing and used it to her advantage. If she wanted to hear what you were saying she heard it, and if she did not want to hear what you were saying, even if she heard it, she did not hear it. She would then cleverly blame it on the hearing aid. “Say, what’d you say.” She was one clever woman.
Whenever she decided to get in mood where not only did she not hear you, but had no intention of doing it, it was her granddaughter Kimili who could melt her heart again and again. Somehow Kimili was able to get her to do something when nobody else could.
Sister Sims ministry in the church itself was that of encouragement. She took on the task of calling those who were absent from church on Sunday morning to make sure they were alright. She could break out into a smile and a joke to lift up your spirits at a moment’s notice. She truly has been a blessing and a gift from God. She has left behind an incredible life sprinkled over with love and compassion. She has lived out the meaning of family in our very presence.
Now she has lain down her legacy and has gone to be with Jesus Christ. You may think, with all the love Sister Sims has demonstrated through the years, she certainly deserves to go to heaven. But that’s not quite true. You see, according to the Bible, none of us deserves to go to heaven. Did you know that according to Jesus, most people will not go to heaven?
Jesus said in , Mat 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Entering into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only way to enter that narrow gate. All you have to do is to admit, "God, I have done a lot of things I should not have done. I realize I cannot pay for all that I have done. I ask you for forgiveness. I accept that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, He being holy and righteous, paid the penalty for my sin. I invite him to come into my life and take control of it."
You will make numerous decisions in your life between your birth and your death. But the only decision that will still be personally affecting you a 1000 years from today, is what did you do with Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches there will certainly be a resurrection of everybody from the dead, and then comes the judgment of God.
Clemmie Sims is prepared for that Judgment. Like the Apostle Paul she can say, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
For those of us who die without Jesus Christ, Clemmie Sims will only be a passing memory. For those of us who die in Christ, she’s waiting for us to join her in that great reunion that will certainly take place.
For the word of God teaches, 1 Th 4:13-18 Brothers & Sisters, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
