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No longer on the river and, again, an empty nester. Back to living on Fleming Island and making some more friends!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Jesus Triumphs Over Tragedy

This title has been used before, but guess what----it never gets old! One of the best, smartest, and valuable things we did in planning for the funeral for Timmy was have the satellite viewing and video recording set up in the Fellowship Hall. Overflow seating was needed as the church was jam packed that day, over 300 people at one count. But, now I have a "permanent" record of the very special worship service that took place on January 19, 2001. More than once I have allowed the question to cross my mind and occasionally my lips, "How in the world did he do it?"---meaning, how did Pastor Prange, Pete, ever manage to get through that service like he did? Of course, it was the Lord who provided the strength and support he needed, plus perhaps a healthy dose of adrenalin, another blessing from our Creator!
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Last night after the Board meeting, I decided to watch the video of the funeral service, in part to hear the amazing message Pete delivered to us, and partly to experience the whole "triumph" once more. Parts of the sermon I have memorized, such as when Pete is explaining how we are all sinful and need Jesus' forgiveness, and that anyone who has spent any time at all with Timothy knew he was a sinner.........and the congregation, or parts of it, chuckled. He was a stinker, that is for sure! The one part of the sermon that moves me so much is when Pete points out that triumph has already taken place----not one person in our family and not one person from his congregation expressed concern for Timothy's soul. We all had the comfort and assurance that he was with his Savior in heaven. "I know that my Redeemer lives! What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, he lives who once was dead, He lives my ever living head!" Just as Pete is about to end the sermon, he recalls the story I told about Jesus and God sleeping with me at the hospital...........oh, yeah.....
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In talking with my mom today, she didn't know how to go back to re-read my postings or the comments that are added sometimes a day or two after the initial posting. I explained to her about the "Older" button on the bottom right hand side of the opening page which allows the reader to go backwards, even so far as to the first posting ever! One can also click on the archives on the left side of the opening page according to date, or even according to year. Hope this helps anyone else who is not familiar yet with navigating the site. She had sent me a comment last week and thought it did not get to me, and when I told where to look for it, Mom said the blog did not go back far enough. Now she knows how to work backward and see her comment posted.
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Please take some time, if you do not already, to read some of the comments posted recently. Suzanne, my friend from church and Timmy's Sunday school teacher, sent me a list of her remembrances from the night of the 'accident' through the funeral service, and it warmed my heart through and through to read about her memories. Hers seem almost more clear than are mine!

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