We can grieve with hope

1Th 4:13

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep(die), or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. Yesterday was the funeral of our friend's husband.  It was a total kick in the pants funeral.  Tears from start to finish.  The church was packed.  Seeing a bunch of boys wearing their baseball uniform in support of their grieving friend is heartbreaking.  What was the kicker was the wife.  What a ROCK of a woman.  She got up and read the most amazing eulogy--surrounded by her 2 older sons and her 14yr old son, all dressed up, holding on to his momma, supporting her.  She was so poised, so strong, so positive about the legacy of love, faithfulness, and spiritual heritage her husband left.  I lost it when she talked about how this past Father's Day, her husband and the daughter they lost 4 years ago spent Father's Day together in heaven and about how when they adopted their 4yr old little girl from China, she was terrified of the big burly man.  She'd turn her head away from him and run out of the room(sound familiar Julie??).  But, his patient and steady love won her over and they were inseperable.  What's the good news?  We can cry with hope.  Can you?  If you don't know for sure that you will spend eternity with Jesus, the minute you take your last breath on this earth, please find out will ya?  This man spent his last day with his family, vacationing and having fun--making memories, then in a split second--he was gone.  Find a Bible, email me, whatever, but don't wait another day.