Top Crust

My daddy is gone from this world.   

I remember the words of Dwight L. Moody.  In his final days he said  "Soon you will read in the newspaper that I am dead.  Don't believe it for a moment.  I will be more alive than ever before!"

We had the viewing the evening before the funeral.  I thought Jack, at Ruzens, did a great job on the flowers for the casket!  A little bit of subtropics for the area of Japan where my parents were missionaries.

I had Dad wear this tie clasp.  It was a gift to Dad when he lived in Japan.
The kanji, or Chinese character, is "kotobuki" or something like congratulations, happy, long life.  Sort of fitting.

I cried to see flowers from a couple of the churches Dad served at in Japan and also from some dear Japanese friends.  It was so touching for them to remember him!

There were lots of flowers or plants. 

 My young mom's Bible study group sent this bouquet.

Quite a few friends and family dropped by.  

Our children, Josh, Jill and Mindy were all there also to be with us.

Several friends cried with us as we talked about my Dad.

One dear couple who came were Jim and Shirley. 

Shirley told us a story about when they came to visit us in Japan.  My parents took them to a public bath house.  Their son was with my Dad and he was a little concerned that a curtain was all that divided the men's bath from the women's bath. 

                "Uncle Pete, what will we do if the curtain falls down?"  

                "We will just stay under the water!" he replied.

Jim and Shirley have plots at the same cemetery we do.  As do my parents and Al's parents.  His grandparents and my Voran grandparents.  Lots of friends and relatives.  

                 We got all excited to think that one day we will all rise together!!

1 Thess. 4:16 

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.

One lady shared with us that her grandmother attended the first church that my Dad pastored before going to Japan.  She said her grandmother was a little critical of Dad at first.  He would play baseball with the youth and didn't the pastor have better things to do than to play baseball with young people?  But after awhile, she decided he was all right.  Makes me so proud to hear that about my Dad!  Dad loved baseball and what a great thing to do!

One person made the remark to me "You are now the top crust."  ??  I wasn't sure what she meant until she said "You are no longer in the sandwich generation."  That's right!!  I have been a part of the sandwich generation for many years, taking care of my parents on one end and helping with my children/grandchildren on the other.  Goodness.  We are the old ones now.  Matriarch/patriarch.

Thank you to all who came to give hugs and give words of encouragement!

After the viewing was over, Al's sister, Julie and his cousin, Jim and his wife Joanne came over.  Such a good visit.  Too often it takes a funeral to bring some of us together.