Today we went to a funeral...I have not been to many funerals, but I can only hope they are all as beautiful as this one! This was definitely a celebration of new life. The man who passed has suffered from M.S. for 40 years and today would have been his 65th birthday. I am so excited that he has a NEW body and a health in heaven that none of us can even come close to imagining! Of course this makes it no easier on those left behind...my prayers and thoughts are with you all.
My favorite part of the service today was hearing from his "buddies". As one of them put it, we all have "friends" in life - but everyone definitely needs some people we call "buddies". There is a difference. Four of Jim's closest buddies each got up and spoke about his life and their time with him and it was so incredible! I was so blessed hearing from each of them speak. Wow. What great memories they each had with their friend.
I was really touched by one of the 4 men's distinction between friends and buddies, though. What an incredible gift to have your closest "buddies" speak about you and share their favorite memories of you. Not everyone has true "buddies" and it made me realize how important they really are! This concept is paramount and I think much of the world misses out on this gift of friendship. I'm not talking about friendship within your family unit (that is a wonderful gift in itself and not to be taken for granted). I'm talking about close friends whom you have no genetic relation to, but people whom God has placed in your life to fellowship with - to laugh & cry with and share life's good & hard times with. What a gift and what an inspiration these men were - I so enjoyed their sharing! Nobody should be going through this life alone...(ie: without "buddies"!) Get out there and make yourself some "buddies" - sure it takes time and sometimes work to form bonds with other people - but it's SO WORTH IT and the rewards of having "buddies" are overwhelming - this was clearly evident today at Jim's funeral. It was just incredible and I was so priviledged to get to be a part of it.
Nobody wants to start planning their funeral early, but a group of us were talking at lunch this afternoon about how it will be so neat to have "buddies" speak on our behalf at our memorial service! How sad it would be to not have any "buddies" speak at your funeral...we only live on this earth one time - and God has called us to FELLOWSHIP with others. I hope we don't lose sight of the benefits of having friends - or better yet - people we call our "buddies"!
My favorite part of the service today was hearing from his "buddies". As one of them put it, we all have "friends" in life - but everyone definitely needs some people we call "buddies". There is a difference. Four of Jim's closest buddies each got up and spoke about his life and their time with him and it was so incredible! I was so blessed hearing from each of them speak. Wow. What great memories they each had with their friend.
I was really touched by one of the 4 men's distinction between friends and buddies, though. What an incredible gift to have your closest "buddies" speak about you and share their favorite memories of you. Not everyone has true "buddies" and it made me realize how important they really are! This concept is paramount and I think much of the world misses out on this gift of friendship. I'm not talking about friendship within your family unit (that is a wonderful gift in itself and not to be taken for granted). I'm talking about close friends whom you have no genetic relation to, but people whom God has placed in your life to fellowship with - to laugh & cry with and share life's good & hard times with. What a gift and what an inspiration these men were - I so enjoyed their sharing! Nobody should be going through this life alone...(ie: without "buddies"!) Get out there and make yourself some "buddies" - sure it takes time and sometimes work to form bonds with other people - but it's SO WORTH IT and the rewards of having "buddies" are overwhelming - this was clearly evident today at Jim's funeral. It was just incredible and I was so priviledged to get to be a part of it.
Nobody wants to start planning their funeral early, but a group of us were talking at lunch this afternoon about how it will be so neat to have "buddies" speak on our behalf at our memorial service! How sad it would be to not have any "buddies" speak at your funeral...we only live on this earth one time - and God has called us to FELLOWSHIP with others. I hope we don't lose sight of the benefits of having friends - or better yet - people we call our "buddies"!
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