The Last Trip

My editor at The Gazette, Steve Buttry, loaned me the book "Obit" by Jim Sheeler. A most interesting, intriguing book of stories about people who are no longer living among us, but are, yet, in a sense. I wonder if I could write like that. I have not tried. I would like to meet this man Sheeler. He makes each person's life fascinating. I have not seen any local writer - well, maybe one - Tom Fruehling wrote features that were compelling and heartwarming before he left the newspaper.

Too many of us don't try things because of fear. Our age doesn't really matter - young or old, we can be "stick-in-the-muds" or blossoming peonies.

A lot has to do with our relationship with the Lord. Satan impresses me with the desire for things I really don't need. To rise above the ashes of death, which is really what Satan offers, we must look to the Lord, and I can do all things through Him, with Him. Look to Him, not elsewhere.

My husband works with hospice, caring for the physical needs of men who are on their last journey. Sometimes he also cares for their spiritual needs - it depends - the patient/client must request him to read a Scripture passage or pray with them. Jim does this willingly. He is one of God's servants.

I write the obituaries at The Gazette, but it's not feature writing. It's following style, putting together the pieces/facts in an orderly fashion or merely editing what a funeral home or individual has sent in. I've been doing this for 21 years here, and years before at other newspapers - dailies and weeklies.

When I was a child I used to write stories. My mother enjoyed writing, so we shared that common ground. I wrote fiction and poetry (which I still do occasionally) for a long time - through college anyway, before I stopped. I have always kept a journal.

Feature writing is not fiction. It's not mundane or boring either. Could I practice writing on someone's life...

So ...

So much that I think about in the course of a day, week, month, year. So much and yet so little. It can mean nothing or be rather useful. Very few actually read this blog, so it would seem no matter what I say, it won't matter. Well, so be it. It might matter to me and it always matters to God. So between me and God, that's pretty good.

Today's Scripture reading brought me to Romans 12:3b, which says "not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" Don't think of yourself as too high and mighty, better than another. But then I thought, we shouldn't think too lowly either should we? So low that we become self-centered. Selfishness can be at either end of the spectrum can it not? Romans 12:3c says "God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." Well, if you don't have faith, you don't have God, and without God, you have nothing.

My editor loaned me the book "Obit" by Jim Sheeler ... inspiring stories of ordinary people who led extraordinary lives. It is the most interesting book I've read about news obituaries. I've often though I'd like to try my hand at news obits. I edit obits for the local newspaper. But editing them and writing a story, a short synopsis of one's life, is something else. I question my abilities. I don't know why. Fear factor gets in the way.

"With God I can do all things." "With God on my side, who can be against me." There is no one. With God in my park and me obeying his direction, I can do many things. To his glory. I can write a news obit. Just remember to whom, to what purpose you do this.

Sunday morning, I wrote in my journal, "If I died today, who would remember me?"
I imagine there are many who think that on any day. Is it selfishness or just a sincere desire that someone, anyone, would think well of another, that their life would mean something to another. Something important, not just stupid things, being silly or ridiculous. Perhaps being silly and people remembering that, is meaningful ...to someone somewhere somehow. I wonder.

There is a song included in this book "Obit" that one ordinary man sung ... about smiles. I like what it says. I don't know if these are his words or someone else, but still, I like it and its worth repeating here...

"There are smiles that make us happy,
There are smiles that make us blue,
There are smiles that steal away the teardrops,
As the sunbeams steal away the dew
Here are smiles that have a tender meaning,
That the eyes of love alone may see ...
And the smiles that fill my life with sunshine
Are the smiles that you give to me."