The Memorial

Hello Friend,

      I was so surprised to hear from you.  How long has it been? Fifteen years?  When I got your letter, I didn't know if I should open it.  I was happy and scared at the same time.  I wondered if it was bad news.  But, I did open it and was glad to find that you wanted to reconnect. 
     I have thought about you, a lot, over the years.  It makes me happy to hear that you are doing well.  You always loved to travel, and you know me; I would rather stay right here for the rest of my days.  I love living in the country side.  each day is an adventure to me.  I am still exploring the woods around my home. I am still picking fruit from my very own trees, and I still have cats, dogs and chickens in my yard.
    From time to time, I think of the things we used to do when you were around.  I really missed you when you left.  Thanks for getting back in touch with me.  I hope we can continue to correspond.  I want to know more about your life, and I want to share some things with you.
Rose




Dear Friend,

    I went to a funeral today, it was my mother's cousin.  I didn't know her, but heard a lot about her.  I heard even more when I went to her funeral.  I don't know if I can call it a funeral.  The body was not there. The son had already had her cremated.  I'll call it a memorial service.  It was kind of strange for me.  She was someone that I did not know, even though we lived in the same town, even though we were family.  I did not know her son, either.  However, my mom kept in touch with her, and spoke with her, often.  When she became ill, my mom and younger sister would go over there and take food, and try to give comfort.
  my mother's cousin had a long illness, maybe a year in and out of the hospital.  When she passed, he cremated her.  Many of the older members of the family were very upset; but, that did not change anything.  the service was at a church in the neighborhood.  It was one of those charismatic churches.  I had not been to one in years, and felt strange being in one, on this

     The service went as expected.  People got up to share their stories about the deceased.  We laughed, we cried, we reflected on our mortality.  Then it was time for the person who was officiating to do his part.
He was 18.  His back story was that his mother was intending on aborting him, but God stepped in and saved him.  The minister of the church called him a great prophet.  That disturbed me.  He was a boy.  He was not Jesus, but a boy.  I said that to say this.  However you feel that you have been called to preach, learn first, what the scriptures truly says.  The boy was not a great prophet.  He was not a prophet.  He may feel that he is doing nothing wrong, but i feel that he is playing a dangerous game with the gospel.
     The boy strayed away from the intended service, and began to preach.  I don't remember what he preached about. Probably because I took a dislike to the change in the program.  He stood at the podium, black suit, red shirt with some kind of design, maybe paisley; maybe not. A gold chain with a gold cross inlaid with ruby tinted stones. no tie. He stood before us with the microphone close to his mouth.  The small room vibrated with the sound of his voice.  He kept telling us to turn to each other and say things like, I'm sorry, I love you, and so forth.  Except for my mother, i did not know any of these people.   So, why am I sorry?
  Then, he called people up for prayer.  many went.  he wanted everyone to keep their heads bowed, saying; you don't need to know who has come to the alter (or something to that effect), I looked up.  He wasn't praying so why am I bowing my head?  They he asked those who had ailments to come forth to be healed.  That's when he lost me.  The bible says, in  1 Corinthians 13: 8-13:

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.day.
The bible tells us that there is no need for speaking in other languages.  The bible is written, the Word of God is complete and is being distributed all over the world in many languages.  There was a time with the Word had to be given my mouth, through prophesy, through verbal teachings; because nothing was written down yet.  Healings were performed because people still had to be made to believe through miracles; because the Word was not written yet. Speaking in tongue proved to many that a person who never spoke a certain language before could speak in a foreigner language to the people who could understand it, and spread the Gospel in that way.
When someone spouts gibberish that no one understands, how is it spreading the Gospel? What is the point?
Well, people got prayed for, some got prayed over for healing.  I, at least, got to see people for my cousin's other side of the family.
I know I'm rambling; but, this day was not about him. It was to celebrate Annie, and to comfort her son.
rose