" HOSPICE MEMORY SERVICE "

THIS POST WILL DEFNATELY BE  A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN ALL THE OTHERS.  LAST NIGHT MIKE & I WENT TO A "MEMORY SERVICE" FOR THE FAMILIES OF ALL THOSE WHO HAD SUFFERED THE LOSS OF SOMEONE DEAR IN THE PAST YEAR. (FOR US, IT WAS MY BROTHER IN LAW GEORGE).  IT TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS WE HAVE EVER BEEN TO.  IT WAS DESIGNED (I'M SURE) TO LIFT OUR SPIRITS, AND ENCOURAGE US THAT LIFE WILL GO ON-JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.  INSTEAD, THE SPEAKER (WHO'S SON HAD DIED TWO YEARS PRIOR) WAS TELLING US HOW MUCH SHE HAD HEALED AND HELPED BECAUSE OF HOSPICE.  THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THAT SHE COULD HARDLY SPEAK.  SHE WAS CRYING THE WHOLE TIME, BLOWING HER NOSE, WHICH MADE US ALL FEEL LIKE-WHAT HOPE IS THERE FOR US IF SHE IS STILL IN SUCH A BAD PLACE AFTER TWO YEARS!!  GRANTED SHE DID LOSE A SON (ONLY 25 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME), AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I WOULD HANDLE SUCH A LOSS, BUT I  DO KNOW ONE THING FOR SURE-I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET UP IN FRONT OF A HUNDRED PLUS PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY CRYING THEIR EYES OUT, AND TELL A SAD STORY LIKE THAT WHICH IN MY ESTIMATION ONLY MADE THINGS WORSE.  IT MADE US FEEL LESS HOPEFUL THAT IN TIME THE LOSS WOULD HURT LESS.  I KNOW THAT THE POOR MAN BEHIND ME WAS JUST SOBBING, AND I REACHED AROUND THE BACK OF MY CHAIR AND PUT MY HAND ON HIS KNEE.  I LEFT IT THERE UNTIL THE SOBBING STOPPED.  HE WAS MAYBE IN HIS 60'S, SO I AM GUESSING HE LOST A CHILD, AS I BELIEVE IT WAS HIS WIFE SITTING NEXT TO HIM.  AFTER THE PROGRAM ENDED, I TOLD THEM HOW SORRY I WAS FOR THEIR LOSS, AND TOLD THEM THEY WOULD SEE THEIR LOVED ONE AGAIN SOON IN THE RESURRECTION. THEN  I HAD WRITTEN DOWN A COUPLE OF SCRIPTURES (REVELATION 21:3&4 AND JOHN 5:28) THAT I ASKED THEM TO READ AS I FELT THEY WOULD HELP THEM,  THEY WERE VERY AGREEABLE, AND SAID THEY SURELY WOULD.  IT REALLY BROUGHT HOME TO ME WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS .  "DEATH IS OUR ENEMY" (1 CORINTHIANS 15:26). I FOR ONE AM SO VERY HAPPY AND THANKFUL TO KNOW THE REAL HOPE FOR ALL THOSE SLEEPING IN DEATH. THANKS FOR LISTENING, I HOPE I DID NOT DEPRESS ANY ONE AS THAT WAS NOT MY INTENT.  I WILL BE BACK TOMORROW WITH ANOTHER "MIKE" STORY!!  TILL THEN-JUST ME