Signs of a Life Well-Lived

Last updated on: August 22, 2014 at 3:53 pm by Rebecca Frech

Signs of a Life Well-Lived 2014-08-22T15:53:16-05:00 Rebecca Frech

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We spent today at the funeral of my husband’s great-uncle, Harold. Normally, I am not a fan of funerals especially of distant relations. I just feel like an intruder and a spectator to someone else’s grief, but not today.

Today I watched the signs of a life lived in love and service of family and humanity. A man who was loved not only by his widow, 5 children, 30 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren (with a great-great due soon). He was mourned also by his 15+ “adopted” children, those who somehow or another found their way to his household and were never turned away. They were fed and bedded down and given love and support, not just for a brief period, but for the rest of his life.

He was a good old country farm boy who lived in the house his parents built with their own two hands. When it became clear to everyone that he was dying, he insisted on dying at home in the same room where he was born 80 years ago. He was laid to rest in a coffin made for him by his own sons from a tree they cut on his property. For the last week they stripped the bark and lovingly planed each piece until it shone with the lovely richness that only cedar has. They marked each corner with his brand and then lined it with a quilt made for him by his sister.

Over 300 people crowded into a tiny country church and spilled out into the Fellowship Hall just to take a moment to tell him good-bye. They all laughed together as they sang “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” on the day before Easter because it always made him smile as he recalled the boy he was who thought it was his own special hymn, “Hark! Harold’s Angels Sing.” They all cried together as Taps sounded out across the windy Oklahoma prairie as he was laid in the ground surrounded by generations of his family, exactly as he would wish it.

He is an example to us all of a quiet and seemingly unimpressive life that in truth changed the lives of everyone he met. His is a life lived in faith and charity, exactly the way our Creator asked him to live it. May we all follow the example of Uncle Harold, and when we hear the call of God, rise up to meet it.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

April 10, 2009

A Good Friday Haiku

Next Post

April 13, 2009 Never, Never Judge a Book By Its Cover

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What animals did Jesus ride into Jerusalem?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A horse A donkey A camel An ox