Not to be morbid or jinx myself and not that I'm planning on dying anytime soon, but I am a nerdy planner and decided I would put some of my thoughts down for ideas to use at my funeral when the time arises for me to say good-by to earth and hello to heaven. 🙂 (That's where I'm hoping to find myself) I really want people to feel like I did when I went to my cousin, Alison's, funeral. I felt like I had just been to a wonderful & spiritual church meeting. I felt inspired to be a better person, to make every day count and strive to become my best self. I felt an overwhelming love from heaven showering down on earth reassuring me to be still and know that God's ways and plans are real and sure. I would hope things are set and prepared so that people could feel and experience a peacefulness and faithful assuredness that God loves us all and that through the gift of the atonement of Jesus Christ we can rejoice in the knowledge that we can all be together beyond our earthly lives.
Opening Song: I know that my Redeemer Lives
Life Sketch: Keep it light and fun & short to help people feel comfortable. You know like tell the story about my violin teacher and the cats, how I loved blue skies and white puffy clouds and the sun, hot chocolate, running with my dear friends, and…..shoot, I guess I'm a little more serious than I wish I were.It must be said how much I love my husband, children, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are everything to me! I also love music – it has been a therapeutic way for me to express my deepest feelings, whether they be sorrow, despair, love, happiness, or contentment. Really stress how blessed I felt to grow up in the family I did – with loving parents, and amazing examples from my siblings. I also can't express how fortunate I am to have such a wonderful family to have married into. My HUSBAND, Stephen, made me feel the most loved of all – every day in various ways he was sure to let me know how much he loved me. Just thinking about him makes me happy and I smile. I couldn't feel more important & special than he has made me feel. I am so happy that he and shared his life with me and that we have the same eternal goals and desires. What a privilege and humbling experience it's been to be the mother of some extraordinary children: Lexi with her integrity, responsible, and fun nature; Mason with his passion, humility, and adventurous ways; Lily with her exact, determined, and thoughtful being; Olivia with her tender, sweet, and affectionate nature; and JT with his direct, intense, and loveable ways. All have enriched my life and inspired me to be a better person. What an honor it's been to be their mother.
Song: O Divine Redeemer – Solo or Trio
Talk: About the Plan of Salvation & Faith, Mercy, Grace, and Love.
Song: Savior, Redeemer, of My Soul with violin obbligato – the Dallyn Vail Bayles & Jenny Oaks Baker version from movie 17 Miracles.
Remarks:
Closing Song: Each life that touches ours for good – because it's how I feel about all of the people I have had the privilege of knowing and learning from.
FAVORITE SCRIPTURE: Moroni 10:32 Yea, acome unto Christ, and be bperfected in him, and cdeny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and dlove God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be eperfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
Just a side note: If I am ever on life support, I give my permission to my husband and/or children to make the decision to take me off if the need arises and quality of life is gone. Keep in mind that I do not fear death and I would never want to prolong the inevitable. Just have faith and remember that we can be together forever.