Monday, January 03, 2011

It is Well....

....with our souls!

We said goodbye to Granny today at her funeral celebration.

It was another hallelujah moment, and the program said as much.

There it was in big letters at the top of the program: "It's A Hallelujah Moment."

And we could hardly even muster a tear.

Oh, we miss her right down to our foot bones,

but it was the happiest, most inspirational service I have ever been to.

We sang lots of old hyms, the ones I learned in that very church.

"Because He Lives" "When We All Get to Heaven" "Victory in Jesus" and "Sweet Sweet Spirit" to name a few.

My dear uncle and the pastor both talked about Granny for awhile.

The memories made us smile, and they pushed us on to be a little more like her.

Giving, loving, never angry (my uncle talked about the two times we remember her being mad), sweet, kind, God-fearing, God-seeking, faithful, steadfast, a true believer.

At the very end, as she requested, her family gathered together at the front of the church and sang "How Great Thou Art."

It was an awesome service. Awesome. I was thinking that even people who didn't know her would come away inspired by her life and her legacy.

The luncheon afterwards was fun because we had granny's favorite foods. Brown beans and cornbread at one station, Chik-Fil-A on the other side of the dining hall, and since coneys were granny's favorite, we had Coney I-Land come out and set up a coney line. It was so fun! Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

Later at the burial, Uncle Jim read Psalm 91, the Psalm that she clung to when her son Fred was in Vietnam. We are clinging to it now!

The joy we had in our hearts seemed to patch the big hole we have there. I know as the days pass, I will sorely miss her, just not being able to call her and hear her voice. Smell her house. See her smile.

But remembering this day will help....
and singing this helps a little bit too...

When We All Get to Heaven...

What a day of rejoicing that will be!

When we all see Jesus, ---- and Grandma Ida! ;-)

We’ll sing and shout the victory!

5 Wonderful Responses:

Valerie said...

That's exactly what my mom said about the service -- it really was a celebration. She also talked about the family gathering around the casket to sing and how neat that was. I'm sorry I missed it.

Lauren Delaine said...

I'm overwhelmed again! This time with gratitude that our Lord would move so graciously. What an amazing service that must've been! I've NEVER heard a more awesome testimony at a funeral service.

I'm rejoicing with you today! And in the days ahead, when your heart aches, mine will, too.

Love you much!

Kathleen said...

It sounds like it was just. lovely.

Shannon said...

I have thought about you and your family and Granny so much over the past few days. Hope to meet her someday in heaven myself.

momof4kr said...

Okay, this post just made me even more upset that I missed the most fabulous funeral of all time! :( I was there in spirit...and I definitely would have been all smiles when it came to the lunch menu ~ oh how I love me a Coney I-Land Coney!!
p.s. I'm gonna put in a request that I get a seat near Granny at the Heavenly Banquet! Between her and Queen Esther, I think I will feel a joy like never before as I get to spend time with two of God's Favorite Gals!