This is the main scripture passage I selected for the funeral and below that are the words of Eulogy/testimony offered from my mom:
Romans 8:28-29 NLT
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?...No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY GRANDMOTHER was not a close one in my younger years due to a couple of reasons. One was her location. She lived in California and we lived in Kansas. The other I don't quite understand and that's okay but my grandmother and mother didn't have a close relationship for quite a few years. I'm not even sure they kept in touch for a long period of time but I'm thankful contact was resumed and they moved to Kansas to be closer to all of us. Although my memories of my grandmother aren't the fuzzy, cookie baking, cuddly type, they are no less important. My grandmother was an organized, goal-oriented, driven woman. She didn't achieve a success that is recognized by society today. But everything she set out to accomplish she did. When she set out to achieve a goal, she had a methodical, logical way of doing that and she always seemed to end up where she headed. My grandmother wouldn't have called herself a mentor but in reality that's what she became for me. Many times I will say today that “that's how my grandma taught me to do that", and I am thankful for this. As in every aspect of life, there are lessons to be learned from things unspoken. My grandmother was often gruff and didn't offer affection freely. But I always knew by her generous spirit that she loved us and cared about our well-being. And as she aged she became a softer, kinder human being toward everyone! I must say that I received more affection than I knew what to do with as she grew older! It made me think that maybe this is what was really underneath her gruff exterior.
ALTHOUGH I WISH I COULD HAVE had her with me longer I am thankful for the time we shared. I’m thankful for the lessons of life that she passed on. I’m thankful that she listened as we talked to her about God and his love for her. And I know that as much as I loved her, God loves her even more. He is faithful and full of compassion. In this I place my hope.
- Jill Smith
