Purposeful Lives

Every time I go to a funeral I make sure there's a pen and index card in my pocket. Perhaps I'm the only one who ever takes notes at a funeral. It's just that whenever I hear words spoken about an aged saint, I feel compelled to write down these lessons about life -- and how to live in a way that really counts in God's eyes.

It happened again last Saturday. I had only lengthy conversation with Frances Cadenhead one time -- when I visited her in the hospital a few months ago as her body was gradually succumbing to cancer. She had such a sweet spirit about her, so at peace. The main way I knew her before hand was through these regular checks she sent to the Christian Service Center, specifying that her funds go towards buying food for those we feed here each week day.

On Friday night at the family visitation, Frances' daughter and son-in-law,
Darlene and John Ashby, told Susan and me a few stories about Frances as we stood before the casket. Frances suffered so much loss in her life. She was born into grief, as her mother gave birth to her two months after losing her son to spinal meningitis. A few years later she lost a step son to death. Then her husband was killed in a plane crash during the war.

Frances married again but her second husband died early in life. She then moved in with her mother and later cared for her for 15 years as her mom was hit with Alzheimer's disease. In spite of all this grief, Frances lived such a purposeful life in serving others. She started two different chapters of the Alzheimer's Association in cities where she lived and gave many speeches to families whose loved ones were suffering from what's been called "the long goodbye."

Bob Scott told a story at the funeral about how Frances was in a ladies Bible class in 1991. The teacher, Peggy Teague, asked the women to write their mission statement during the class. After Frances wrote hers, she later told her daughter that she wanted this read at her funeral. And that's exactly what Bob did. She basically summarized her life story, stating that her focus was on Jesus Christ -- "His relationship with me and my commitment to Him." Then she wrote:

"My mission is to:

1.) Be the best mother and grandmother I can be.

2.) Support the Christian Service Center by feeding the poor.

3.) Support the Christian prison ministry, especially by helping those who have been released from prison."

She titled this mission statement: "Not Lofty, but Necessary."

Necessary indeed, Frances. Thank you for motivating those you left behind with a passion for living not for yourself but for the Lord, and thus serving others. You remind me of the words of the Apostle Paul:

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who die for them and was raised again. -- 2 Cor 5:14-15

Jim