The active Body

4:15 p.m. Today's project was to put together the picture poster boards for display at Steve's memorial service, and later at the public and family receptions. Knowing they had time off this week, I asked Heidi and Pavel over, with their "kid" Sammy the whippet, to help out with themes, placement of photos, running out for double-sided tape and to bring Mom a delicious frozen caramel mocha coffee drink from McDonald's after they got lunch (elsewhere)!

We divided the board themes into travel, special events, and family times. The travel board includes Steve and our son Sean's trip with Ib Hansen and his son Ken by private plane on a camping trip to the Grand Canyon, as well as an elegant photo from our 25th wedding anniversary Alaskan cruise. Steve LOVED to travel. Special event pictures like the kids' weddings share a board with Steve earning "Employee of the Year" for 1993 at Mission Plastics and an injection molding machine. Family times are, well, family times, so much fun and commotion, the happy racket of five children having fun, the zanier the better, as far as we were concerned. And look out,  it's Steve behind the monster mask!

How blessed we were, whether Steve the solitary man who was given a wife and little son (Psalm 68:6), or me, the single mom whom Steve made the joyful mother of four more children (Psalm 113:9b). Now I realize why Christians tend to think of memorial services for believers as celebrations. Because God's work in the deceased person's life was so astounding, in both good times and bad, that we who remain, whose story is still being written, are left in awe of a completed earthly life story. God keeps His promises. Always and in all ways! The most important, and wonderful promise God makes, sealed by the Holy Spirit, is that which Steve is enjoying fully now--eternal life with the Father through Jesus Christ the Son! In 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 the Apostle Paul says,

For all the promises of God in Him (Jesus) are Yea, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Another project I worked on today was to contact the instructors of our Heart to Home women's ministry, to ask them to be praying about teaching a class starting March 12. We have many talented women in our church body who teach  younger wives and mothers skills for blessing their families and caring for their homes. It may seem odd to send out the email this week of Steve's memorial, but I want to reassure them that the good work that Jesus began for our ladies will resume. Titus 2:3 adjures the older women to be "teachers of good things, that they admonish the younger women..."

Jesus has not changed, His gifts and callings have not changed, as we are exhorted from Romans 12:6:

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us, let us use them...

On Saturday, so many gifts of the Spirit will be in evidence, from the Harvest church office administrating; Pastor Jeff teaching; Mark Murdaugh leading worship; a beautiful video of Steve's life created by our daughter Heather; friends and family testifying for Christ in honor of Steve; our daughters-in-law and church friends preparing and hosting receptions; young people serving in any way needed; guests comforting our family.

This is the Body of Christ in action!