Thursday, May 29, 2014

The homegoing...


I've heard it called a homegoing service. It's a softer sounding name than the somber word "funeral".  We're going to see another member of the generation before us laid to rest.  This time it's my husband's uncle, the pastor who helped my family through a really difficult time in our lives.  We've already said goodbye to both my parents and my husband's father.  Most of our aunts and uncles are gone now.  Many of the older ones that were members of our church when we first moved here seventeen years ago are in heaven now.  It's a strange season to be in,  joining the ranks of those who get the "senior discounts" and the people you thought of as the older ones going home one by one.

As we drive the miles and pass the hours, we drive through memories scattered about all out of chronological order.  It's as though someone has put together a photo album all willy nilly, with our family photos all out of sequence.   Familiar scenery zooms by out the car window.   


There's the road to the denominational office where we worked when life was more about climbing the organizational ladder than caring about people. There's the exit we'd take when we pastored the church in the small town where my girls spent their middle and high school years.  A little farther down the freeway and we'd hit the cutoff toward the coast, the place we were youth pastors at when our youngest daughter was born.  

Periodically a rain shower streaks the window and hinders the view.  As we drive through the familiar places, memories of tears and heartache are mingled with memories of laughter and joy.


We leave the freeway and head over the pass through the mountains.  There I go back in time, before ministry and marriage and children.  It's summertime and mama's got the car all packed with camping supplies, food and goodies she's been baking ahead of time.  We're heading to our favorite camping spot by the lake where my aunt and cousins from California will meet us for a week of pure youthful bliss.  


Thinking about it now, decades later,  I realize that tent camping and sleeping on the ground and still having to cook for and clean up after us couldn't have been much of a restful vacation for our mama, who worked so hard to support us kids now that daddy was gone.   But, oh what great memories she gave us!



We get to the town where the funeral will be held.  We check into our room, then head out to get something to eat.  We drive through the familiar streets. This was the town we did all of our business and shopping in when we pastored our very first tiny little home missions church.  It was located on a former Indian reservation and our very small congregation was mainly native Americans.  Our oldest daughter was three when we first moved there and our second born still a baby.  We were young and naive and inexperienced and poor as church mice.  But miracles of God's provision and intervention in our lives were abundant in our short time there.

At dinner we sit across the table with my husband's sister and her husband.  Our conversation drifts from talking about the uncle that will be laid to rest in the morning, to talking about their parents and memories of our younger married years as well as memories of their childhood.  It seems as though this whole trip has been a homegoing of another kind, a journey through the past.  We've remembered it's highs and it's lows, and recognized that woven through it all there has always been the evidence of God's faithful presence.  And His faithful presence will continue to be with us, all the rest of the way on our long journey home.

still following,

   






at 3-D Lessons for Life

29 comments:

  1. What a beautiful part of the country you live in! I'm always struck, too, by how bittersweet a funeral is. The sadness of saying goodbye, mixed with the flood of wonderful memories from being back in familiar places and the joy of reconnecting with family I haven't seen in too long.

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    1. So appreciative of your thoughts and kind comment, Kathryn!

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  2. This was one of those posts that just drew me in and made me not only join you on your memory journey but think of similar ones of my own at the same time. I related so very well to what you're saying here.

    And I'm sorry for the loss of your uncle and so grateful that there is joy in Heaven at the homegoing of a saint.

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    1. Thank you, Debbie. It was sad and happy at the same time, as we reconnected with family and friends that we haven't seen in all too long.

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  3. We're almost at that stage in our lives, too. It blows me away at how quickly the time has passed. Your memories of God's provision in your life encourages me to breathe deeply and remember fondly.

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    1. You're a few years younger than me. It's still hard to accept that 55 is the magic number that most places consider you a senior citizen!

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  4. so much heart in this post, Elizabeth. Your phrase ... before ministry and marriage and children----loved it. Was there ever a time like that? :)

    Exquisite writing, my friend. XOXOX

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    1. Your encouragement of my writing means the world to me!

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  5. I'm sorry for your separation from this relative. So thankful for our hope in Jesus. So thankful for your testimony and all the ways in which God has shown up for you. So thankful for your telling it. Sending love spiraling.

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    1. I'm sorry for the recent loss of you mother-in-law, Brandee. Yes, I am indeed thankful for our hope in Jesus!

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  6. What a blessing to take comfort in your precious memories, & to know that we can rejoice that our loved ones are now in the Lord's presence. With Christ, we can take comfort in knowing one day we will all be together again. I love how eloquently you tell your stories. Praying for you & your loved ones during this time of going "home".

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    1. Krista, what would we do without the hope and assurance we have of eternal life in Jesus! Thank you for your kind encouragement of my writing..

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  7. I believe memories are a gift from God. Thankfully, because of our Savior Jesus we can know our loved ones are in Gods presence. Thank you for nonce again sharing your heart. Raying for you and your family .

    Blessings♥
    ~Sherri

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    1. Thank you so much, Sherri. I appreciate your kind comments and your prayers.

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  8. Wow. What a beautiful blog. I've a lot to learn as yet.
    :)

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  9. Your words and photos touched my heart in a deep place today, dear friend. I've recently been going on 'journey's of memories as we drive to places around our state. TIme passes so fast and it's hard to believe we've reached this place - but God has been SO faithful! What a blessing He has given us with the dear ones who were there for us along the way. Praying for you and your family through this homegoing 'celebration'.
    ~Adrienne~

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    1. Thank you for your love and prayers and support. I can't wait to get together again!

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  10. Elizabeth. You & your family are in our thoughts & prayers. Pictures are beautiful. Memories. Thank you for sharing. Hugs

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    1. Thank you for your encouragement and prayers, Carol!

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  11. So sorry about the loss of your uncle but I loved the beautiful photos you shared and the memories as well. Like you, I also find myself in "memory mode" much of the time...it seems so many of us do it. In this world where so many things are negative, the sweet memories from our past (of course not all are sweet) remind us of where we came from.

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    1. Debby, your comment blessed me as always. I sure appreciate your encouragement!

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  12. Sorry about your loss of another of the older generation. It is definitely a strange feeling to me, too. After both my parents died, I felt so alone, knowing next in our family tree was me and my siblings. I know that's how it's supposed to be, but it's still odd when our turn comes up.

    How beautiful that you have so many positive memories connected with the sites you passed.

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    1. You are right, Lisa. It's such an odd feeling to lose our older loved ones and to feel like we are now becoming the "older generation".

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  13. Beautiful photographs... I love the story telling and the remembering. That is what is precious about life. Having memories and people to share those moments with you.

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    1. Thank you, Sharon. You are a blessing and encouragement to me!

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  14. This so wonderfully describes our days together. I so enjoyed being able to share the memories of our pasts while anticipating the future as we shared about our grandchildren. Thanks for sharing this time with us!

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    1. I am so grateful to have you as my sister-in-law. It was wonderful to spend the last few days together.

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  15. Your photos for today's post really do justice to your story. I feel much the same way as I travel the 45 miles to visit my mother who is 80 every week. I find that I no longer have any resentment or hurt feelings these days, just gratitude that I am able to help her and that she is still helping me. Lovely photo essay today - a blessing for me to read.

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    1. Thanks so much, Donna! I love turning up the shutter speed and shooting from the car. It amazes me that the photos are actually not too bad!

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