you don't usually enjoy yourself at a funeral, but yesterday i did. i hope that doesn't sound wrong to have said that ~ but being with your family~ and being aware of the palpable love in a big room is so amazing, so inspiring and such a HUGE blessing, that as lars and i drove the couple hours home last night, my thoughts kept going back to what a good day i'd had.
everything about bruce molden's funeral was special, from the slideshow playing "the slideshow" of his 71 year life, to his beautiful 11 yr. old granddaughter singing silent night in a brave soprano voice. i guess she had told her grampa that she would sing at his funeral, and as she stood in the back of the little county church and sang him up to heaven- all 4 verses... it gave me goosebumps.
the ham sandwiches were piled high with meat- just like he'd asked for- and his wife and daughters got up early to make big roasters full of scalloped potatoes and other hotdishes-because bruce wanted a "good lunch" served on the day we celebrated his life.
bruce was the only boy in his family, with 3 sisters. he and his wife were blessed with 4 daughters (all nurses). he had 6 grandchildren and 5 of them are girls! the minister pointed out that the man bruce became- was greatly influenced in these houses full of woman. he loved and was loved and on the back of the program at his funeral was a love letter from his wife.
lynn was only 19 when she married this "much" older man. bruce was 30 and even though i was pretty young, i remember a few eyebrows being raised at their age difference. they turned out to be a match made in heaven and they farmed and worked hard and they enjoyed life -side by side until bruce was diagnosed with cancer 2 years ago. lynn's love letter to him made me cry- tears of wonder and appreciation for her sharing with us her intimate feelings for this man she'd loved for so long.
her letter started like this: Dear Bruce, thank you for asking me to marry you.......
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when i sit at a funeral service and listen to the story of a person's life, i can't help but think what will be remembered about me when i'm gone. it makes you want to be a better person. so it's a new year and a new chance to think about our actions and our intentions.
i will be back later today with another post- one with pictures and stories from our Christmas break- but for now, i'd just like to send up a big AMEN for the love of family and the stories we keep and the legacy of love that continues when someone we cherish passes on.
i enjoyed seeing so many familiar faces from my past yesterday and being surrounded by some of the people i love the most... is there anything better? God bless your memory Bruce. you sure were loved.
xo, beth
Made me cry as I think about what an honest and life loving man he was and how very much he was loved! He was a great influence on his family made such a successful life. God bless his family and his memory forever. Loved him and still miss him.
ReplyDeleteI'm a firm believer that we never really loose the ones we love~ we are all connected, like a big oak tree. The roots, the branches, the acorns, the cycle of life repeats itself over and over. Sending you love Auntie Phil xox.
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