Reflections at a Funeral

Yesterday I attended a funeral for a father and a son. I am normally reflective but when I get in those settings, I become "hyper-reflective". I was listening to all the good things said about the father...others-centered, loving, knew no stranger, prayed for the kids on his school bus, loved his grandkids etc...

As I listened to their words about him, I wondered about words about me? What would be said of me in the end? What would people remember or say of me after I depart from the earth?

I am not sure but these are words that I hope would be said...

1. He loved God his Father, Jesus his Savior and the Holy Spirit his Comforter and Counselor.
2. He loved God's Word...it was his daily delight and mediation.
3. He was crazy about his wife, Debbie. He sought to love her as Christ loves the church.
4. He never stopped thinking about and praying for the next generation of Woodalls and Tichys.
5. He loved God's family, the Church. He was passionate about his work as a Pastor.
6. He loved developing men and marriages.
7. He definitely lived a life on purpose and sometimes in balance.

So...if these are words that I hope will be said of me in the end, what am I doing to make sure these things are happening now?

What do you hope will be said of you in the end?

Are you making decisions now to assure this?

Blessed because of my Dad. Prov.20.7

Today I read, Prov. 20:7, "The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him."

This was the verse I wrote Dad on his 70th birthday tribute in 1996. It made me think of him again today. From the time he was saved in 1966 till the day he graduated in 2005, he sought to live a righteous and blameless life. We, as his children and grandchildren, are blessed after him.

Giving thanks for my Dad, Oscar M. Woodall, today. Blessed

Why did Jesus fold the napkin? John 20.7

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? 

I never noticed this....

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

John 20:6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,  7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 

Was that important? Absolutely! 

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because...The folded napkin meant... 'I'm coming back!'

I am sooooo glad Jesus is coming back.

I love this kind of stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY