This past Monday, I had the honor of speaking at my Aunt Nancy's funeral service. My Dad's youngest sister left us too soon at the young age of 59.
Here are some of the thoughts I shared on Monday:
When I hear the two words "Aunt Nancy" several images pop into my mind. All of the images focus on 3 themes: love, laughter, and simplicity. Those words best describe MY Aunt Nancy.
Aunt Nancy loved. She loved her friends and family deeply. She chose to invest in fewer people so she could love them more deeply. Those of us fortunate enough to have been family or close friends appreciate this about her. Aunt Nancy loved deeply and . . .
Aunt Nancy laughed easily. Her laugh came easily and, as a result, those around her laughed more easily. She loved to laugh about something silly she had done or said. She was NEVER guilty of taking herself too seriously. Yet, she was able to balance humor without being too silly. She had the unique gift of being able to laugh with you and still talk about your dreams or any other serious issue. You always walked away encouraged from talking with Aunt Nancy. She loved deeply, laughed easily, and . . .
Aunt Nancy lived simply. She did not every pretend to be something she wasn't. She didn't feel the pressure many people feel to try and impress others by trying to hard. She didn't lay awake at night wondering if "so and so" was impressed with her dress, car or house. She didn't feel the need to travel to far away places. She'd rather stay home and simply laugh with and love those whom God had place around her.
Aunt Nancy loved deeply, laughed easily, and lived simply.
I'm sure when the angels welcomed Aunt Nancy to Heaven on Thursday by asking her "which mansion do you want?" Aunt Nancy surely said, "Oh Lord, it doesn't matter to me."
Aunt Nancy seemed to appreciate that life is too short to worry about temporary things.
James 4:14 "...what is your life? You are a mist (vapor) that appears for a little while and then vanishes". Life is too fast to pursue the temporary.
Here's a truth that struck me this weekend: Since the only thing eternal is people, our greatest investment is people.
I'm sure that somewhere there is a man who will pursue a strong education, acquire an impressive job, will work hard for decade to achieve financial success, will climb the corporate ladder, one day buy a nice piece of property on which to build his dream home, will travel on impressive vacations, and eventually save enough to enjoy a great retirement. But, eventually, he dies. And, if he's lucky, he'll spend forever living next door to Aunt Nancy in Heaven where his mansion will have the same property value as hers. Whatever they use to travel, his and hers will have the same blue book value. Whatever they wear, his and hers will have the same cost.
Who invested their life most effectively?
Once you realize that the only thing eternal is people, than our greatest investment is people.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me."
Ultimate eternal success begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the one sure thing. And nothing can interrupt that relationship . . . not even death.
Romans 8:35-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerers through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Ultimate eternal success begins with a relationship with Jesus and ends with us investing into people.
I may not remember Aunt Nancy's car or house but I will always hear her laugh. I can hear it in Lisa (her daughter). I can hear it in Angie (her 2nd daughter). The only thing eternal is people. Aunt Nancy knew that with the way she lived her life. What a wise woman! Thank God we were the lucky ones that she loved deeply.
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