DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL LAUGH?

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:  he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25).

That verse, from the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, is certainly an appropriate one to read and meditate upon at Easter time.  For true Christians, death is NOT the end; it’s really only a new beginning.  During my recent trip to Springfield, Missouri, I picked up a copy of the local newspaper, the Springfield News-Leader.  This may sound morbid, but I’m one of those people who enjoys reading the Obituary pages.  The Springfield paper called those pages, “Funeral Notices”.  The wording of the obituaries (or “funeral notices”) was very different from the wording of the obituaries in most Boston area dailies.  Here are some examples:

From the “funeral notice” of Julia “Julie” L. Sweet, age 79:
“Julia ‘Julie’ L. Sweet, 79, Springfield, Mo., went to be with her Lord on Thursday, March 13, 2008.  .... Julie was a long time member of Trinity Lutheran Church.  She was a member of the Sweet Adeline’s.  Julie had a great love for music, which was always playing in her home.  She loved the lake and the river.  Julie loved to go boating and loved sitting outside enjoying nature...”

From the “funeral notice” of Randy S. Gist, age 36:
“Randy S. Gist, age 36, of Nixa, Mo., was called to Heaven to be with the Lord on Thursday, March 13, 2008... His strong work ethic and willingness to lend a hand helped him to turn coworkers at Turblex into life-ling friends.  Randy spent his leisure time traveling, camping, restoring vehicles and chasing around his grandbaby whom he lovingly called ‘Fancy’...”

From the “funeral notice” of Kenneth Quigley, age 92:
“Kenneth Quigley, 92, of Springfield, Mo., went home to be with the Lord March 13, 2008, at Maranatha Lodge. ... He loved the Lord and was very active within his church.  He enjoyed growing vegetables in his garden to share with friends and neighbors.  He also enjoyed hunting and fishing...”

Those obituaries would frankly be considered very weird in the Boston area.  I can imagine someone laughing right out loud if they read such an obituary in the Boston Globe or even in the MetroWest Daily News.  No, we’re much too SOPHISTICATED in the suburbs of the northeast to speak of being “called to Heaven to be with the Lord”.  WE say, “passed away” or “died”, or frankly, neither one!  We prefer an obituary something like:

John A. Smith, 77
“John A. Smith, 77, of Framingham, husband of the late Harriet (Jones) Smith, son of the late Zachary and Mable Smith, father of James and Marilyn Smith.  Following graduation from Boston College, Smith served with the U.S. Army in Europe during World War 2.  He was an employee of the Nimrod Electrical Company for more than thirty years.  Visiting hours....”

So COLD.

I do love the Boston area.  I’ve lived here most of my life.  I love the Patriots and the Red Sox.  I love the Boston Pops and Channel 2.  I love 96.9 WTKK.  I love Cape Cod.  But there’s something about that “down home” “I love Jesus” stuff in the Missouri Ozarks that I frankly love even more than anything in New England!
If my obituary someday reads, “Bob Baril was called to Heaven to be with the Lord”...do you think people will laugh?