James 3:17
The wisdom from above
is first pure,
then peaceable,
gentle,
open to reason,
reasonable,
full of mercy and good fruits,
impartial and sincere.
Yesterday, we had the 3rd November with the matriarchs of the extended family passing on. 2024 Edward's aunt. 2025 Edward's own Mother. 2026 the cousin's cousin who really, basically, was an aunt. And let me tell you, we live a life where we will have labels we love and do not love in our memories. We won't love the memory of Three Thanksgiving seasons with Matriarchs Passing. I will say the last funeral has to be my favorite funeral. Yes, we will have favorite weddings and all types of favorites. The Blessing is Life.
Sally lived to be 98.5 years old.
I wish for the gentle giant - of well lived life - Sally had lived to be 100. This seems fitting. Sally and my mother-in-law, tennis champions - wryly said with kindly humor, would say to children in this sweet and true tone, "Dear, that was naughty, I'm going to have to spank you." The threat of the gentle breeze. Sally had quite a sense of humor and really just enjoyed people. This giant of southern hospitality had 4 children who like one another. Sally lived in the home she and her beloved Eddie had for 47 years. And ended in her home. With the help of her oldest born, aptly named Sally as well. Come hellacious F3 area tornado and rebuild, in her late 80s. Sally was interesting. And always had something Very Interesting to remember and discuss.
The day after the complete destruction of her Dallas neighborhood,
Sally got out of bed and went to the bathroom. She called for her Sally daughter and said, "Isn't it odd that the rug is wet." To look down the street, you didn't see but shreds. And their house was just the lone survivor. So they investigated to find, the roof of the entire home had gone up in the air and been placed back down a few feet to the left. Which shakes the Whole Situation Up to a Different Level. And no, sorry, residential insurance, they had been warned by the city not to go back into the condemned home to get anything else. So, in the 2nd year of fully non-functional house, no they couldn't traverse the whole house to find out if the water heater was still working and, no, they aren't worried not doing this will slow down the insurance claim .......... pending.
Come to find out, all the neighbors had been asked if their water heaters were still functioning. The reply was generally, If you find the water heater in the 6 miles of tornado shreds, please, insurance, do let me know if the water heater was functioning.
(Wonder with me. Was this the 1970s, yet 2017 version, of Residential Not Paying the Claim applicable phone prank of, "Is your refrigerator running?")
And wisely, Sally and her charming family chose many beautiful hymns with the 3 Readings about God's Steadfast Love. And in this chose Ecclesiastes 3 as one of the readings.
3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
A time to be born. To remember when the original hometown of Galveston had a cohesive and loyal clan. A mother who was divorced in the 1920s and boldly gathered the funds to get a clothing store and believed a future as a single mother for her children, would happen.
A time to die. Having lived and won by being loving.
A time to plant and a time to let the water heater go. With a snappy rejoinder ....
A time to love and remember the Christmas gatherings
A time to leave behind the old burdens of hurt feelings
A time to realize Love conquers all.
We stood in the twilight sundown, having a glass of my mother-in-law's favorite wine and talked about the Giants in our lives who had Loved us. Remembering childhood seasons of living in a home filled with Love. Remembering as a younger adult going home and having the doors opened to live with them to celebrate.
I noticed the younger generation had been busy, having a normal pressed day filled with a far flung career and loving their children. Having missed the funeral of the Giant passing. And realized, Love conquers all and they had their own recipe. And in Love, this is still understanding that new generation.
And really we could say this about Sally and her 98.5 years of Living.
The wisdom from above
is first pure,
then peaceable,
gentle,
open to reason,
full of mercy and good fruits,
impartial and sincere.
And we would have to say this about the
Seventeenth verse of James' 3rd Chapter:
We hope to get there by living the entire Chapter. James was raised by Mary and Joseph and knew Jesus when the boys James and Jude were kicking each other under the table.
James 3
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Man, whew, that verse 17 arrives after appreciating winter becomes spring.
The gift of tears.
Tears at the cousin's wedding who had to stop saying her centuries old wedding vows. To Gasp and burst in to tears. And then to have the sizable congregation semi-gasp and, definitely, lean in. The Anglican Priest to say, "Are you okay, dear?" And the cry of the bride, "I just have to say in the middle of my vows, I Love You! I am so lucky and blessed. Wildly blessed to have you as my husband!" The Priest would declare as he later pronounced them man and wife: "This is my Favorite Wedding Ever. And Ever!"
And no one could deny. And no one could deny.
While Sally's Lesson was being read, her granddaughter, a Pro Golfer on the PDGA Women's Tour, burst into tears. How profoundly fitting. How absolutely as life should be when Love is moving into the Eternal.
The Light shining on the Celebration of Life. Meaningful. Eternal.
The Eternal Help and Comfort of the Word of God. Nourishes, strengthens, emboldens, makes the Way. Faith, Hope and Love. The Greatest of these is Love.
Abba, Father,
We ask Jesus Christ may
dwell in our hearts through faith
We ask to be being rooted and grounded in love
and have strength to comprehend with all
what is the breadth and length and height and depth
of Your Love.
To know
the love of Christ
surpassing all the books ever written
fully know
We are filled with all the fullness of God
Your Promises,
Father,
Are Sure.
In Jesus Christ,
we live and move and
have our being.
Amen!
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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