This past week we attended the funeral of Aunt Dorothy. She isn’t really my aunt, not a sister to any relative, but has been my Mom’s best friend for over 60 years so she’s been like an aunt.

Pictured here is Uncle Ted and my Dad in a picture from…well the 1950’s! They were stationed together in Winnipeg after Training College and got along so well they were friends until Uncle Ted passed away, just a year before my Dad did. Our paths crossed with the Browns in many ways over the years and strangely enough both of their daughters have worked for me. Their son Ted has been a life long friend though we see little of each other these days.

Attending funerals is an interesting activity. I find myself joyful to see friends and family who we rarely see and reminded of why we are together. Of course, the Christian also rejoices if their friends have been people of faith and we know “they are safe in the arms of Jesus”. That saying seemed so corny to me as a kid, but with age comes the recognition of truth and that is one that really resonates.  The other aspect of funeral attendance is listening to people talk about who has died – in this case, listening to family and friends talk about the impact Aunt Dorothy has had on them.

I think many of us are sitting there asking ourselves, if this was my funeral, what would people say? It’s a time, to be honest with self and before God. Without a doubt living brings about some regret, some reason for rejoicing and some sense of question – how did I do?  That’s why the Scripture is so reassuring with the promise of forgiveness, and eternal welcome – “Well done, good and faithful servant”.

So if I seem more retrospect these days I may be thinking about my own life. What about you?