Pete often says that he wishes we had to go to a funeral every week, because of the perspective on life it provides. Saturday morning was such a funeral, as we mourned the death of Dona Chambers. I remember Dona from my earliest days, as she and Don were good friends of my parents. They went out dancing every Friday or Saturday night for years. The two families, along with the Carlsons and Larsons, also gathered most Memorial Days, Labor Days and New Year's Days, at our house or the Chambers mansion in Svea. With seven children, they needed every square foot of their four-bedroom, two-story older home next to the parsonage and across the street from the church. Ever since Don's retirement, Dona has spent over half the year in Yuma, AZ, even after Don's sudden death seven years ago of a massive heart attack. Her son Dave and his family have helped her keep up the big house, which will now be sold.
Dona loved to dance the night away with friends or family, at home or away, at a ballroom or a wedding. This summer two grandchildren got married, and none of the family members could keep up with her on the dance floor at the receptions. She also had a big 80th birthday party in July and everyone was home for the celebration (she has a son in AZ and daughters in WA, AK, and FL). After those events, she finally went to the doctor to investigate the pain she'd had while eating for months. Stomach cancer would kill her, but first she had months of treatment, staying at a care center, relief from pain, and then her final hospital stay of twelve days. I visited her several times but never really had the chance to talk about important things. However, Carol (a daughter) did, and shared at the funeral Dona's firm hope of heaven and that she was ready to go home.
Pastor Joyce Graue, filling in for our pastor on maternity leave, had visited Dona throughout her illness and also supported the family. Her gospel message filled us with appreciation for the Lord and His gifts, mercy and love. She quoted Scripture throughout the service and at the graveside and communicated her great faith in the promises of God's Word. She wanted "Lord of the Dance" sung during the sermon; since David was home, I asked him to sing those verses and have the congregation join on the chorus. His rich bass voice perfectly complemented the words of the verses:
"I danced on a Friday when the world was black;
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back"
and
"I am the life that'll never, never die
And I'll live in you if you live in me."
I sang "One Day at a Time," requested by Dona, at Don's funeral. When I suggested a repeat to the family, they concurred, so Camy Wenberg and I sang it as a duet. After tearing and choking up during Carol's remembrance speech, I was concerned that we would have a hard time getting through our songs (Camy also sang "Amazing Grace" movingly) without breaking down, but the Lord carried us through and we had no problems with that. The daughters also wanted the hymns to be more upbeat, so I played "Soon and Very Soon" with gusto and the congregation followed my lead. As the funeral home directors brought the casket down the aisle, the sound man played "In the Mood" from a CD. The celebration has begun!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Enjoying Exercise
I'd fallen out of the habit of regular exercise since my friends and I quit gathering every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for "Fitness Forte," an aerobics video. We got our hearts pumping for over three years, but a combination of changed schedules eliminated that possibility. I lift weights at the YMCA twice a week, walking for 15-30 minutes to warm up and get some exercise, but that doesn't seem enough to stay healthy and keep thin (well, OK, relatively thin!).
I purchased Wii Fit Plus with Christmas money and am thoroughly enjoying it! I march with a drum majorette; run and jump through an obstacle course, when not getting bonked or slipping to my death; box the Wii punching bag; step up, down and side-to-side in rhythm; perform Kung Fu positions, and even flap my wings with a chicken to land on targets instead of falling into the ocean.
The program also calculates my Wii Fit age, based on my balance, Body Mass Index, and even thinking games. I've been younger than my true age so far. Altogether a positive purchase, the one problem being that I stay downstairs longer than I should, enjoying my exercise!
I purchased Wii Fit Plus with Christmas money and am thoroughly enjoying it! I march with a drum majorette; run and jump through an obstacle course, when not getting bonked or slipping to my death; box the Wii punching bag; step up, down and side-to-side in rhythm; perform Kung Fu positions, and even flap my wings with a chicken to land on targets instead of falling into the ocean.
The program also calculates my Wii Fit age, based on my balance, Body Mass Index, and even thinking games. I've been younger than my true age so far. Altogether a positive purchase, the one problem being that I stay downstairs longer than I should, enjoying my exercise!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Saint and Sinner
I was overwhelmed with the sense of my own sinfulness yesterday. First, our substitute pastor allowed a good long time for "reflection" during the Confession of Sins, so I had ample time to remember that I hadn't prayed with the praise team before worship began. I want to do that, but more often than not I forget. What does that say about my focus on the Lord? Nothing good!
Next, we sang "Lord, Have Mercy" with its verse lines "Jesus, I've forgotten the words that You have spoken" and "I have built an altar where I worship things of men," which spoke to me more than usual. I bustle about, doing good things for the most part, but am I helping people know You better? Not often. Am I truly sacrificing? Not often.
The scriptures were about the call of God and coming to Jesus, so I decided to sing "Come to Jesus" for the offering. It's a difficult song which I hadn't sung since before losing my voice, so I was praying that God would bring me through it. It's also a very emotional song and I usually cry when rehearsing it. The verse about "Don't be afraid to crawl and remember when we walk, sometimes we fall, so fall on Jesus" hit me hard, and then the next verse was "if your sky is dark and pours the rain, cry to Jesus" and I cried and sang because the Chambers family was there and Dona has just been put on hospice and everything is hard. I was able to sing while crying, and quit by the next verse.
While at the communion rail, I was struck by the necessity for communion - our ongoing sinfulness, our ongoing stubbornness, our ongoing need of a Savior. I am the chief of sinners - I have everything, yet am discontent; I know Jesus, yet forget Him; I believe His kingdom has come, yet live according to this world's rules so very often. Lord, I believe - help my unbelief!
During the last song, I completely messed up - not once, but twice - playing and singing the verse when the chorus was called for, and vice versa. My praise team will forgive me, for which I am so thankful, and the congregation will too. But it's just another example - in this case, not deliberate sin, of course, but it still hurt the worship flow and the comfort level of the congregation - of our continually missing the mark. Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Next, we sang "Lord, Have Mercy" with its verse lines "Jesus, I've forgotten the words that You have spoken" and "I have built an altar where I worship things of men," which spoke to me more than usual. I bustle about, doing good things for the most part, but am I helping people know You better? Not often. Am I truly sacrificing? Not often.
The scriptures were about the call of God and coming to Jesus, so I decided to sing "Come to Jesus" for the offering. It's a difficult song which I hadn't sung since before losing my voice, so I was praying that God would bring me through it. It's also a very emotional song and I usually cry when rehearsing it. The verse about "Don't be afraid to crawl and remember when we walk, sometimes we fall, so fall on Jesus" hit me hard, and then the next verse was "if your sky is dark and pours the rain, cry to Jesus" and I cried and sang because the Chambers family was there and Dona has just been put on hospice and everything is hard. I was able to sing while crying, and quit by the next verse.
While at the communion rail, I was struck by the necessity for communion - our ongoing sinfulness, our ongoing stubbornness, our ongoing need of a Savior. I am the chief of sinners - I have everything, yet am discontent; I know Jesus, yet forget Him; I believe His kingdom has come, yet live according to this world's rules so very often. Lord, I believe - help my unbelief!
During the last song, I completely messed up - not once, but twice - playing and singing the verse when the chorus was called for, and vice versa. My praise team will forgive me, for which I am so thankful, and the congregation will too. But it's just another example - in this case, not deliberate sin, of course, but it still hurt the worship flow and the comfort level of the congregation - of our continually missing the mark. Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Give and it will be given...
On Sunday, November 20, our church treasurer informed the congregation that we were far behind budget, and in order to finish the year in the black, the offering per Sunday for the rest of the year would have to be double what it had been so far. We've ended in the red for the last several years, so there wasn't a lot of hope in his voice.
That noon the men served a Potato Topper, the women contributed to a Bake Sale, and the entire congregation provided beautiful items for a Silent Auction to benefit a family who lives across the street from the church. The father has been in a wheelchair for years and the mother was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. The event was a great success, and almost $6000 was raised, including a matching gift from Thrivent.
That evening the Luther League met to package boxes for Operation Christmas Child, using almost $500 that had been donated at the Halloween gathering at the Gatewoods' farm. When Andrew came home, he thought they had packed about 30 boxes, but Pastor Mary informed us the following Sunday that it was 60 boxes!
The offerings grew each Sunday, until our entire deficit was erased and a surplus generated before Christmas Eve. What a blessing! I need to remember that Jesus wasn't kidding when He said, "Give and it will be given to you - pressed down, shaken together and running over!" The congregation went ahead and gave generously to those less fortunate, and in return were blessed to overflowing. Will I do the same?
That noon the men served a Potato Topper, the women contributed to a Bake Sale, and the entire congregation provided beautiful items for a Silent Auction to benefit a family who lives across the street from the church. The father has been in a wheelchair for years and the mother was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. The event was a great success, and almost $6000 was raised, including a matching gift from Thrivent.
That evening the Luther League met to package boxes for Operation Christmas Child, using almost $500 that had been donated at the Halloween gathering at the Gatewoods' farm. When Andrew came home, he thought they had packed about 30 boxes, but Pastor Mary informed us the following Sunday that it was 60 boxes!
The offerings grew each Sunday, until our entire deficit was erased and a surplus generated before Christmas Eve. What a blessing! I need to remember that Jesus wasn't kidding when He said, "Give and it will be given to you - pressed down, shaken together and running over!" The congregation went ahead and gave generously to those less fortunate, and in return were blessed to overflowing. Will I do the same?
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