Wrong Funeral
THIS IS CUTE,
THE
OPENING
PARAGRAPH MAKES
THE PROPER
STATEMENT TO SET
THE MOOD. AND WE
THINK GOD
DOESN'T TALK TO
US?
**AN ABSOLUTE
MUST READ**
Consumed by my
loss, I didn't
notice the
hardness of the
pew where I
sat. I was at
the funeral of
my dearest
friend - my
mother. She
finally had lost
her long battle
with cancer. The
hurt was so
intense; I found
it hard to
breathe at
times. Always
supportive,
Mother clapped
loudest at my
school plays,
held box
of tissues while
listening to my
first
heartbreak,
comforted me at
my father's
death,
encouraged me in
college, and
prayed for me my
entire life.
When
mother's illness
was diagnosed,
my sister had a
new baby and my
brother had
recently married
his childhood
sweetheart, so
it fell on me,
the 27-year-old
middle child
without
entanglements,
to take care of
her. I
counted it an
honor. 'What
now, Lord?'
I asked sitting
in church. My
life stretched
out before
me as an empty
abyss. My
brother sat
stoically with
his face toward
the cross
while clutching
his wife's hand.
My sister sat
slumped against
her
husband's
shoulder, his
arms around her
as she cradled
their child...
All so
deeply grieving,
no one noticed I
sat alone. My
place had been
with our
mother,
preparing her
meals, helping
her walk, taking
her to the
doctor, seeing
to her
medication,
reading the
Bible together.
Now she was with
the Lord.
My work was
finished, and I
was alone.
I heard a door
open and
slam shut at the
back of the
church.
Quick footsteps
hurried along
the
carpeted
floor....
An exasperated
young man looked
around briefly
and then
sat next to me.
He folded his
hands and placed
them on his lap.
His eyes
were brimming
with tears. He
began to
sniffle. 'I'm
late,' he
explained,
though no
explanation was
necessary.
After several
eulogies, he
leaned
over and
commented, 'Why
do they keep
calling Mary by
the name of '
Margaret?''
'Because, that
was her name,
Margaret.
Never Mary, no
one called her
'Mary,'' I
whispered.
I wondered why
this person
couldn't
have sat on the
other side of
the church.
He interrupted
my grieving with
his tears and
fidgeting. Who
was this
stranger anyway?
'No, that isn't
correct,' he
insisted, as
several people
glanced over at
us whispering,
'Her name
is Mary, Mary
Peters.'
'That isn't who
this is.'
'Isn't this
the Lutheran
church?'
'No, the
Lutheran church
is across the
street.'
'Oh.' 'I
believe you're
at the wrong
funeral, Sir.'
The solemnness
of the occasion
mixed with the
realization of
the man's
mistake bubbled
up inside
me and came out
as laughter.
I cupped my
hands over my
face, hoping
it would be
interpreted as
sobs.. The
creaking pew
gave me away.
Sharp
looks from other
mourners only
made the
situation seem
more hilarious.
I peeked
at the
bewildered,
misguided man
seated beside
me. He was
laughing;
too, as he
glanced around,
deciding it was
too late for an
uneventful
exit. I
imagined Mother
laughing.
At the final
'Amen,' we
darted out
a door and into
the parking lot.
'I do believe
we'll be the
talk of the
town,' he
smiled. He
said his name
was Rick and
since he had
missed his
aunt's
funeral, asked
me out for a cup
of coffee.
That afternoon
began a
lifelong journey
for me with this
man who attended
the wrong
funeral, but was
in the
right place.
A year after our
meeting, we were
married at a
country
church where he
was the
assistant
pastor.
This time we
both arrived at
the same
church, right on
time...
In my time of
sorrow, God gave
me
laughter.
In place of
loneliness, God
gave me love.
This past
June, we
celebrated our
twenty-second
wedding
anniversary.
Whenever anyone
asks us
how we met, Rick
tells them, 'Her
mother and my
Aunt Mary
introduced us,
and it's
truly a match
made in heaven.'
If you Love God
for all the
marvelous things
he has done for
you, send this
on to others.
REMEMBER, God
doesn't make
mistakes. He
puts us where we
are to be.
