My husband and I attended a funeral this week for a sweet
woman that started attending our church about a year ago. She was 88 years old just
six days before she went to be with Jesus. The amazing part of it was that she
still lived in her own home and she also still drove herself everywhere she
went. I will remember Claudine because she
carried a joy with her when she entered a room. She was not able to hear well so
she would talk really loud and because of that everyone in the room could hear
what she was saying, which was perfectly okay because she had such joy. I remember
hearing her say “God has big plans for me, He is going to use me”. Many others
recall her saying this or something similar. I don’t think that she realized
just how true that statement was. While attending the funeral, we were given
the opportunity to stand up and share something about Claudine and that’s when
I realized what a special lady she was. The man that runs the mission in town
(which hands out food and supplies to those in need) stood up and shared how
Claudine would come in weekly to visit and spread her joy along with a donation
to help them out. Another man with a ministry that feeds people in need stood
up to tell about how Claudine would bring food to them along with a donation on
a regular basis. She would bring in
drink boxes and tell them to ensure those little ones have something to drink.
Someone else shared that Claudine would visit the nursing home each week. This
was the first time I have been to a funeral where so many things come to light
about someone's caring behavior. I know that Claudine would bring food or drink to the
church if we were having an event because she wanted to contribute, even if she
wasn’t going to attend.
All I know is that Claudine got it! She had her focus on God
and he directed her path. She may not have been the richest woman in the world,
but she sure did have a blessed life because she spent her life caring for
others and this is what she will be remembered for.
Today we spend so much of our time trying to be successful
and planning for our future that we miss the part of life that means the
most. The relationships in our lives are the most important things that we have,
and Claudine spent her time on this earth blessing others that she was in relationship with.
I have heard it said by many that we spend our youth trying
to gain wealth sometimes sacrificing our health in the process and then we end
up spending our wealth trying to regain our health later in life. I believe
this is a very true statement about our culture today.
God wants to be our source, all we have to do is look to Him
and let Him guide us.
2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that
always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have and abundance for
every good deed.
I believe that God provides all that we need in this life if
we will just let Him and get out of the mindset that we have to do this on our
own. On her last day here, Claudine had her morning routine, then sat down in
her chair and peacefully went to be with Jesus. I believe that Claudine lived
her life with a reliance on grace.
