What A Day

Today was long, sad, amazing, uplifting, and all in all a very good day. If someone would have told me that the day that we celebrated my mom's life and then buried her could have been a good day, I would have thought they were crazy.

My day started around 6a and I got out for a 5-mile run and then back to ready myself and the rest of the family for the service. We arrived up at the church about 9a and visited with those who could not make it last night. More people than I can remember we talked to this morning. My best guess is that 350 people were present for the service. My dad did a welcome and had us laughing and his strength was amazing. The music was beautiful; Sondra sang a song that my mom wanted her to sing, my brother played victory in Jesus and said some of the sweetest things about my mom and I read a quick note to my mom. What an honor to be able to honor my mom. Dr. Tom Hunter, a long time friend of my parents who just lost his wife to cancer in August, did the majority of the speaking and the way that he personalized his address was beautiful. Mr. Sancken, mom's school administrator, did a beautiful job of paying tribute to my mom. The things he said were so on target and it was obvious he knew my mom well and loved her.

We came back to my folks' house, (about 17 of us cousins, aunts, kids, grandkids, etc.) and it was big fun. We ate quickly and then climbed in the car to head to Gallatin to bury mom. Our trip up went well and Gary Taylor, good friends of our family, said a few words and then we were off for home. We stopped for a meal at Chili's and then started making our way home. There was an accident on I-435 that slowed us down considerably and then we had a blowout about 10 minutes later. Dad has OnStar on his car and they came a fixed it and we got home about 715p.

It was a good day. I know that sounds weird, but God's grace and peace were so evident and his protection as well with the blowout. It could have been bad. I want to thank you again for your prayers on our behalf. It is obvious that many have been praying. We have all experienced the grace and peace of Christ in a way that none of us have ever experienced before and we praise Him for that.

Enough sermon, but we do serve a loving, merciful God. Tomorrow, Sondra and the girls and I head to Bolivar to spend time with her family. We are so very blessed.