Yesterday I attended the funeral of the granddaughter of a very good friend (Donna Wheeler) that I work with at the Arizona Temple. It was devastating for her. Her granddaughter (Brenna) was only 33 years old and was a beautiful person - - daughter, sister, cousin, granddaughter, wife, mother, stepmother, and friend to everyone who came in contact with her. What a loss and so young! There were heartfelt talks and touching and humorous memories shared by her aunt, her cousin, her sister, bishop and stake president - - aren't LDS funerals great! The music was beautiful with two solo musical numbers and a harp solo that was heavenly. They said she was beautiful, always smiling, witty, loved to laugh and make others laugh. Her husband, stepchildren, and little daughter (less than 2 years old) were all heartbroken - - yet buoyed up by the knowledge that they will all be reunited someday. How glad I am that I have the knowledge of the gospel in my life so I can know that death is just a temporary separation and not a "forever loss."
This was difficult to attend the funeral of a lovely girl the same age as my daughter, Andrea, and who shared the same birthday (August 10) of my daughter, Christy. To see and hear the great tributes by family members was awesome and made me think of my own family. The closing song of the services was "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again" - - the music and words are beautiful and have great meaning - - but I cannot sing it all the way through without sobbing. I am always reminded of other funerals I have attended where that same song was sung and memories come flooding back of other lost loved ones like my Mother and my Brother and others. It also makes me think of my children singing "Families Can Be Together Forever" at my Mom's funeral - - what a tear jerker that was!
Since I consider this Blog to be somewhat of a journal for me, I have to add at this time that life is very short and family and friends need to make the most of it in a loving and positive manner. Minor disagreements, differences of opinion, insecurities, jealousies, petty squabbles, and all misunderstandings (no matter how big or how little) must be forgiven and forgotten now once and for all - - because that's how Heavenly Father wants it!!
6 comments:
Sounds like she was a WONDERFUL person! I would have loved to have known her! I know she will be missed! I LOVE LDS funerals only because they dwell on the positive especially knowing that we will all see each other AGAIN!
I know when we sang that song at Grandma's funeral I could NOT sing the words because I was so choked up! I LOVE and miss Grandma so much! She brought a lot of life to our home!
I agree totally! ALL misunderstandings, etc need to be forgiven and forgotten! Not dwelled upon or brought up over and over again! I would LOVE for our family to feel UNITED like it was!
I LOVE you so much MOM!! You're the BEST!
Funerals have a way of bringing our focus back to the Eternal perspective, and purpose for life. I love attending them.
I AGREE WITH ANDREA.
funerals are sad. i dont like them. it is good that we know that families can be sealed together though.
i agree with merrianne and andrea that we need to get our family together again. it is all fallen apart. this can't go on and on like it has for all these years.
we cant keep ignoring it.
this is why merrianne and i thought that having a family blog would be good for us. we need to keep in touch and since everyone is uncomfortable talking on the phone maybe it will be easier on a blog.
go see the new blog and write some things on there. you can post your stories on there and we can all talk about them and what is going on in our lives.
that is why we did that new blog. i hope you are all going to be a part of it.
Hi Mom!!! I just tagged you on my blog!!
((hugs))
Woo Hooo LINDA! Andrea tagged you! I can't wait to read it!!!!!
♥ ya!
Post a Comment