Dear Rose Park,
In just a few hours I’ll be presiding at Nell Freehouse’s funeral service. Nell passed away Sunday afternoon at the age of 94. Nell and her husband, Bud, would’ve celebrated 76 years of marriage this coming August; their life, love, and service to the Lord are a testimony of their faith and are a living expression of the Christian life.
Though my heart rejoices knowing that Nell is with Jesus, It makes me sad to think that Bud will no longer be beside his bride. Bud and Nell did everything together, even their names roll off the tongue as one phrase, “Bud and Nell.” Besides Bud’s service during the war and Nell’s time rehabbing bruised bones during the pandemic, Bud and Nell were rarely separate from each other. So, it makes me sad to think they will no longer be together, but it also warms my heart to remember that the last thing they did together was have a lunch date.
This past Sunday, Bud and Nell had lunch together for the last time. I’m sure they chatted, reminisced, maybe held hands and laughed, and undoubtedly said “I love you.” After talking to Bud on Monday morning, he mentioned the feeling of shock after realizing she’s gone. After almost 76 years of marriage, their love for each other and the Lord has been unwavering and constant.
We truly never know when our time will be. If you’re like many of us, you assume you’ll be well into your nineties before it’s your turn, but we truly never know. In the midst of the unknown we turn to scripture to find our footing. Matthew 22:37-39 reads, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
This verse is a cornerstone of scripture for many of us; we learned about it during Sunday School, we memorized it at a summer church camp, and we’ve heard countless sermons referencing the ‘golden rule.’ However, we aren’t promised how much time we’ll have to love God and neighbor. There is no guarantee that we will have the opportunity to love God and neighbor while we also simultaneously grow old in years. So, love them now and love them well. Give your full heart to God, now. Give your service to the Kingdom and your community, now. Make the phone call to start reconciliation with your sibling, now. Write the ‘just thinking of you’ card to the lonely neighbor, now. Tell your aging parents you love them, now. And schedule the lunch date with a loved one, right now.
We’ll miss Nell, we’ll pray for Bud, and we’ll love God and neighbor with everything we’ve got.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark