HOMEGOING

TODAY I WENT TO A MEMORIAL SERVICE

FOR THE HOMEGOING OF A DEAR LADY

WHO WAS 96 YEARS OLD.

WHAT A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION OF HER LIFE IT WAS!

IT WASN'T WHAT IS OFTEN THOUGHT OF

FOR A MEMORIAL OR FUNERAL SERVICE.

OH SURE, THERE WERE TEARS THAT WERE SHED

BY THOSE WHO WERE IN ATTENDANCE,

BUT WITH THE TEARS THERE WAS

A REAL SENSE OF CELEBRATIVE JOY.

YOU SEE, WHEN HALLIE WAS VERY YOUNG

SHE BEGAN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

AND WITH HIS SON, JESUS,

WHOM SHE HAD ASKED TO BE HER SAVIOR AND LORD.

AND THAT WAS WHAT MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

I FIRST MET HALLIE IN COSTA RICA,

WHERE SHE AND HER HUSBAND WERE MISSIONARIES,

AND EVEN THOUGH THRU THE YEARS,

I ONLY SAW HER PERIODICALLY,

SHE WAS ALWAYS SO GRACIOUS, AND ALWAYS HAD A BEAUTIFUL SMILE OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

IT WAS REFRESHING TO HEAR ABOUT THIS LADY,

WHO NOT ONLY HAD A GREAT SMILE,

BUT A TERRIFIC SENSE OF HUMOR,

THAT CAUSED PEOPLE TO WANT TO BE AROUND HER.
SHE NOT ONLY HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD PERSONALLY,

BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAD DONE IN HER LIFE,

SHE WANTED OTHERS TO KNOW HIM ALSO.
ALONG WITH HER HUSBAND,

SHE DEVOTED HER LIFE TO THAT MINISTRY.

PASTORING CHURCHES HERE IN THE U.S.

AS WELL AS SPENDING TIME AS A MISSIONARY IN COSTA RICA.

IN HER LATTER YEARS

HALLIE HAD SUFFERED WITH AHLZEIMER'S DISEASE.

IT WAS SO MOVING TO HEAR DIFFERENT ONES

RECOUNT THE TIMES, THAT EVEN WHEN HER MENTAL FACULTIES

DID NOT SERVE HER ANYMORE

TO RECOGNIZE FRIENDS, AND EVEN FAMILY MEMBERS,

AS THEY WOULD BEGIN TO SING

A SONG OF PRAISE TO JESUS

SHE WOULD JOIN RIGHT IN,

REMEMBERING ALL THE WORDS.

WHEN THEY WOULD BEGIN

TO RECITE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE FROM THE BIBLE,

HALLIE COULD ALSO REMEMBER THEM

AND WOULD RECITE THEM RIGHT ALONG WITH THEM.

INTERESTING

HOW WHEN HER MIND AND HER BODY WERE 'DYING',

HER SPIRIT WAS STILL ALIVE

AND COMMUNICATING WITH HER GOD.

HALLIE WILL BE MISSED BY MANY PEOPLE.

HER DAUGHTER, ALL THE RELATIVES,

AND OF COURSE,

THE MANY OTHERS WHOSE LIVES WERE MADE BETTER

FOR HAVING KNOWN HER.

I EXPECT TO SEE HALLIE AGAIN SOMEDAY IN HEAVEN,

AS I TOO, HAVE A HOME IN HEAVEN WAITING FOR ME.

THAT IS WHERE HALLIE IS NOW.

THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP

THAT SHE HAD WITH GOD WHILE HERE ON EARTH.

THANK YOU, HALLIE,

FOR LIVING A LIFE THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE TO US,

AND FOR TOUCHING OUR LIVES.

OUR LIVES ARE RICHER BECAUSE OF YOU.