Serve by Design

This week, I visited with a grieving family prior to their funeral visitation and graveside services. This is something I do every time I’m called upon to officiate a funeral, whether I know the deceased or not. I like to personalize my remarks by hearing stories and memories from family and friends. This practice has been well received over the years of my ministry. I have found the “one size fits all” approach to grief ministry impersonal and less than comforting! Image: istockphoto.com On this occasion, I was a casual friend with this man. But I delighted to hear short memories about how he was an eager “problem-solver” and “fixer” of all things involving his unique skills. His youngest daughter told me about the time she had an embarrassing accident with her car. The fender-bender had left some unsightly scratches upon the finish of her vehicle. Later that same day, she was surprised to find out that her dad had stealthily come by, repaired the damage, and buffed out the imperfecti...

During the last twenty and a half years, we have been blessed with twelve grandchildren. In the early days of our grandparenting, we began to accumulate various toys in one of our extra bedroom closets to stimulate these eager minds. We have cars and trucks, action figures, all sizes of building blocks, bags full of plastic Tinker Toys and containers loaded with every conceivable shape of Legos. Our grands have grown up using their imaginations to create and build things.  Our Proud Builder! Just this past Sunday, we had family over and after lunch they literally were “all over the house!” Some were in the back chilling with their cell phones while others were sprawling all over the family room floor. At least one was cocooned in a sofa blanket as the others relaxed in recliners half-way watching football on the television but mostly they were laughing, chatting about nonsense, but enjoying each other! It was family at its best! Our youngest grandson caught me heading down the ha...