funeral hopping pays off.

I find random funerals extremely inspiring. Death is inspiring in itself in that it raises awareness and questions of the great human reality that we do not live forever despite common ignorance. The funeral of Theresa St. Johns' was not my first experience at a random funeral. In high school, I was at my Grandma's house in Cincinnati when she got a call informing her that a young man from her church was killed in a motorcycle accident. She asked me to accompany her at the funeral so in love for my Grandmother I did. It was packed with high school students and somehow, family and friends were able to squeeze in as well. Student after student, family member after family member, friend after friend got up to the microphone sharing the best of their beloved deceased. His life, brought to light by his death, was very inspiring for me though I had never met the guy. I decided then that I wanted to live a life that was worth something...I did not want to waste my life. A little later after that Apostle Paul's words to the Philippians truly sunk in, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

This time, I wasn't very excited about attending a random funeral. It was the funeral of Theresa St. Johns, a well respected Grenadian woman who died at the age of 94. I went with my aunt and uncle so I could "experience a Grenadian funeral". It was much like a typical American funeral from what I could tell just drawn out. Hearing a number of stories about her passion and love in life was incredible. All I will ever know of Theresa St. Johns is that she was a wonderful, passionate, Christian woman who spread her faith and love for Jesus like a disease. Her two and a half hour "celebration" began and ended with the proclamation of Jesus Christ. Her constant question was quoted throughout, "Do you know Jesus as your Savior?"

Do I know Jesus as my Savior? Yeah, I do... But I couldn't help but think about how every attendee will someday be the one laying in the casket up front, including me. For some, the time is coming soon. For others, the time is coming even sooner. And every single person has a choice. That choice will decide if their death will be the beginning of even more death or be the start of even more life. I believe that Theresa St. Johns' death was a celebration of her eternal life with the Father but also, through her exit others have found life through Christ. So, I am grateful for the opportunity I had to get to know Theresa St. Johns...she was an inspiring lady. I pray that I too will grow to be like my Savior in that by my death the lost will find their meaning just as I have found mine.