At my mother’s funeral service, Saturday, August 30th, 2008:

I stand here before you all today in a time of great personal pain, yet at complete peace, because Jesus Christ, the only Lord and Creator of all, has conquered sin and death because of His great love for us. While He was eating His last meal before He died, the Lord Jesus Christ told His closest earthly friends that they would have great troubles and difficulties and pain while they lived in this world. Certainly, He was speaking to us as well. My mother died unexpectedly Tuesday evening. I miss her so much already. I wish she were here with us. I don’t know why the Lord chose to do this now and in this way. I know she is gone from this world, but for me, she is still here. She is still here in that space inside of me where she has always been. She will always be here. As I experience my life, I will always be missing her and wishing she were able to be here with me, watching my children grow, and seeing life’s little and big moments. This is the most personal pain I have ever known. Movies have made me cry, sad songs make me cry, and the pain of my friends and family can make me cry, but all that is from outside of me, like being caught in the rain. If I just go inside, I can get dry. But, this is different. This comes from inside of me, and I know that it will always be open as I live in this life, open and raw to the touch, a kind of slow bleeding. I cannot get away from this, unless I forget about my mom, but that would also mean losing all the joy of remembering her, and I will not do that. She loved me and she gave me her life in so many ways. I will not stop thinking about her and remembering her. And by doing this, day in and day out, I will honor her, until she greets me on heaven’s shores. I imagine it will be her embrace that greets me on the other side. But, the pain and suffering of this life does not have the last word. Jesus Christ, the Creator and Sustainer of all, Who made each of us with His own nail-scarred hands, this same Jesus, also told His disciples that they could have peace in the midst of life’s most difficult and painful times. And, He told them that the peace was theirs because He had overcome this world, with its sin and sorrows and death. Then, a few days later, He proved this to them by His resurrection from the dead and subsequent ascension into the clouds, raised up to the right hand of God the Father, where He has ever been, ruling and reigning over all things, with His beloved children constantly before His eyes. My father and brother and I were at my mother’s side as she passed away on Tuesday evening. Knowing of her faith that Christ had rescued her from her own sins through His sacrifice for her on the cross, I said to her, “Mom, we’re here with you. You are not alone. Do not be afraid. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.’ Do not be afraid, Mother. We love you and God loves you. We’re here with you, Mom” I stand here before you all today in a time of great personal pain, yet at complete peace, because Jesus Christ, the only Lord and Creator of all, has conquered sin and death because of His great love for us.