Time

Time is too slow for those who wait,

too swift for those who fear,

too long for those who grieve,

too short for those who rejoice,

but for those who love,

time is eternity.

by Henry Van Dyke

Is heaven in the yellow pages?

Mummy went to Heaven, but I need her here today,
My tummy hurts and I fell down, I need her right away.
Operator can you tell me how to find her in this book?
Is Heaven in the yellow part, I don’t know where to look.
I think my daddy needs her too, at night I hear him cry.
I hear him call her name sometimes, but I really don’t know why.
Maybe if I call her, she will hurry home to me.
Is Heaven very far away, is it across the sea?
She’s been gone a long, long time. She really needs to come home now!
I really need to reach her but I simply don’t know how.
Help me find the number please, Is it listed under Heaven?
I can’t read these big words, I am only seven.
I’m sorry operator, I didn’t mean to make you cry.
Is your tummy hurting too, or is there something in your eye?
If I call my church maybe they will know.
Mummy said when we need help that’s where we should go.
I found the number to my church tacked up on the wall.
Thank you operator, I’ll give them a call.

 

 by Donna Groleau.

The day God took you home

I’ve been given this to read at a funeral….

You never said I’m leaving
You never said good-bye
You were gone before I knew it
And only God knew why

A million times we’ve needed you,
A million times we’ve cried.
If love alone could’ve saved you,
You never would have died.

In life we loved you dearly,
In death we love you still.
In our hearts you hold a place,
No one else will ever fill.

It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you didn’t go alone.
Part of us went with you,
The day God took you home.

Anon

 

The cost of pain

Nothing can make up for the absence

of someone whom we love,

and it would be wrong to try to find a substitute;

we must simply hold out and see it through.

That sounds very hard at first,

but at the same time it is a great consolation,

 for the gap, as long as it remains unfilled,

preserves the bonds between us.

It is nonsense to say that God fills the gap;

God doesn’t fill it, but on the contrary, he keeps it empty

and so helps us to keep alive our former communion

with each other,

even at the cost of pain.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

She is Gone

I read this at a funeral recently…

 

She Is Gone

You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

by David Harkins

Just a dream – Carrie Underwood

We will remember them.

Funeral Poem

Miss me, but let me go

We’ve known lots of pleasure,

At times endured pain,

We’ve lived in the sunshine

 And walked in the rain.

  

But now we’re separated

And for a time apart,

But I am not alone-

You’re forever in my heart.

 

Death always seems so sudden,

And it is always sure,

But what is oft’ forgotten-

It is not without a cure.

 

There may be times you miss me,

I sort of hope you do,

But smile when you think of me,

For I’ll be waiting for you.

 

Now there’s many things for you to do,

 And lots of ways to grow,

So get busy, be happy,and live your life,

Miss me, but let me go.

  

Anon.

If Tomorrow Starts Without Me

If tomorrow starts without me, and I’m not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn’t cry the way you did today,
while thinking of the many things we didn’t get to say.
I know how much you care for me, and how much I care for you,
and each time that you think of me I know you’ll miss me too;

But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,
that an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready in heaven far above,
and that I’d have to leave behind all those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away, a tear fell from my eye,
for all life, I’d always thought I didn’t want to die.
I had so much to live for and so much yet to do.
it seemed almost impossible that I was leaving you.
I thought of all the love we shared and all the fun we had.
If I could relive yesterday, I thought, just for a while,
I’d say goodbye and hug you and maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realised that this could never be,
for emptiness and memories would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things that I’d miss come tomorrow.
I thought of you, and when I did, my heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through Heaven’s gates, I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me, from His great golden throne,
He said, “This is eternity and all I’ve promised you,
Today your life on earth is past but here it’s starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow, but today will always last.
and since each day’s the same, there’s no longing for the past.

But you have been so faithful, so trusting, so true.
Though there were times you did some things you knew you shouldn’t do.
And you have been forgiven and now at last you’re free.
So won’t you come and take my hand and share my life with me?”

So if tomorrow starts without me, don’t think we’re far apart,
for every time you think of me, please know I’m in your heart.

Anon.

Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s

You didn’t die just recently,

You died some time ago.

Although your body stayed a while,

And didn’t really know.

 

For you had got Altzheimer’s,

You failed to comprehend.

Your body went on living.

But your mind had reached its end.

 

So we’ve already said, “Goodbye”,

To the person that we knew.

The person that we truly loved,

The person that was, “You”.

  

And so we meet again today,

To toast your bodies end.

For it was true and faithful,

Until right at the end.

  

And so, when we remember,

We’ll think of all the rest.

We’ll concentrate on earlier,

And remember all the best.

  

For in the real scheme of things,

Your illness wasn’t long.

Compared to all the happiness,

You brought your whole life long.

  

We think of you as yesterday,

When you were fit and well.

And when we’re asked about you,

It’s those things that we’ll tell.

  

And so we meet in ‘membrance,

Of a mind so fit and true.

We’re here to pay our last respects

To say that, “We love you”.

Dick Underwood 2010

This Child of Mine

  by: Edgar A. Guest, Source Unknown

“I’ll lend you for a little while
A child of mine,” God said,
“For you to have the while he lives,
And mourn for when he’s dead.

It may be six or seven years
Or twenty-two or three;
But will you ’till I call him back
Take care of him for me?

He’ll bring his charms to gladden you
And, should his stay be brief,
You’ll have his lovely memories
As a solace for your grief.

I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return;
But there are lessons taught below
I want this child to learn.

I’ve looked the whole world over
In search for teachers true;
And from the throngs that crowd life’s land,
I have chosen you.

Now, will you give him all your love
Nor think the labour vain?
Nor hate me when I come to take
This lent child back again?”

I fancied that I heard them say:
“Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the joys Thy child will bring
The risk of grief we’ll run.

We’ll shower him with tenderness,
We’ll love him while we may.
And for the happiness we’ve known
Forever grateful stay.

But should Thy angel call for him
Much sooner than we’ve planned,
We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand.”