On the occasion of my forthcoming death

Note: I am part of a group that hangs out on G-Plus (Google +) called "Selfie Sunday" -- On every other week or so, we post a self portrait of ourselves, and in turn look at, and comment on each other's self portraits.  This week was a Halloween theme.  As is, I am not too fond of Halloween's obsession with darkness, though in an abstract way, I think reflection on death can be a good thing.  So here is my photo contribution to the day, with a reflection - beyond the grave.

Recently I had occasion to go to the memorial service of a truly outstanding young man, Cris -- “The Romanian” – a pre-med student at the University of Central Arkansas. Cris was a special light. At 22 he loved life, blushed loudly, took in knowledge with unbridled curiosity, and otherwise lived with a intensity in before God and man that is simply rare. (Someone said they now understood -- Cris had to fit 70 years into 22.)

That, in combination with the death or declining health of others near to me, has led to on a odd stream of introspection. (For whatever reasons, my mom often thought about death, even to the point of giving instruction for her “Coming home” celebration. So --- as part of a family tradition, here is a list of things I would like to see at my funeral. Which of course, assumes that I might be permitted to look in on such things. I don’t know. Perhaps I will have no interest.




The major songs.



Be Thou My Vision.

Immortal Invisible

Like a River Glorious (my favorite hymn as a kid.)

And He will Purify (From Handle’s Messiah)

Going up Yonder (the latter two sung by Marvin or the Philander Smith Gospel Choir)