Funeral Expectations – Wayne’s Death

Preplanning for Death

Have you given any thought to death? Prudent investors have a plan that includes the end of their life. At the very least many have established beneficiaries for their investment and banking accounts. Most should have created a Will, and many can benefit from having a family trust. Having established POA’s for health care and finances is also prudent.

Some even have “life” insurance that is really just death insurance. Many of the types of insurance we buy are never used, and that is generally a good thing. A vehicle crash can be costly, painful, or even deadly. A tornado can make a real mess of your property.

One thing most don’t do, or don’t want to do, is to plan their funeral service. What are your expectations for your funeral? What do you hope your family understands about your funeral? How much should be spent? How should your remains be handled? Who needs to know that your heart stopped beating? What do you want to have as a part of your memorial service? Will you “rest in peace” or will you endure eternal torment? I’ve been thinking about these things.

Cress Funeral Lunch on February 12, 2025

Last week Cindie and I attended a lunch at a local restaurant. It was three days after my 74th birthday. It was a good lunch, and the “Advance Funeral Planner” did a nice job helping us think about the many pieces that we should consider before our last breath. I want to schedule a follow-up meeting with her, as I believe preplanning for death is prudent and is a loving thing to do.

In this, and subsequent posts, I want to tell you what I would like to have as a memorial service. Even if you won’t be able to attend in person, when that day comes, perhaps you can start to think about your own mortality and the things that are really important.

King Solomon observed that a funeral is a better use of our time than a banquet. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” Why did he say that? It sounds morose and gloomy. I believe he wants us to reflect on the brevity of life and then order our day, hours, and minutes accordingly. Make the important a priority and the less important less of a priority. To help you prepare, perhaps you can sing.

Please Sing at My Memorial Service

If you are able to attend my memorial service, then I have only one request of you. Don’t send flowers or bring flowers. Just come and sing. One of the songs I would like to have in the service is His Mercy Is More. You can hear this song on the following link: HIS MERCY IS MORE.

This song itself was inspired by a John Newton sermon. Here is a quote from Pastor Newton: “Are not you amazed sometimes that you should have so much as a hope, that, poor and needy as you are, the Lord thinketh of you? But let not all you feel discourage you. For if our Physician is almighty, our disease cannot be desperate and if He casts none out that come to Him, why should you fear? Our sins are many, but His mercies are more: our sins are great, but His righteousness is greater: we are weak, but He is power. Most of our complaints are owing to unbelief, and the remainder of a legal spirit. And these evils are not removed in a day.” — John Newton

His Mercy is More Lyrics

The Matt Papa modern hymn, “His Mercy Is More” was co-written with Matt Boswell and originally appeared on Papa’s “Church Songs” project.

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 3

Chorus

God’s Steadfast Love and Compassion

“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.” Micah 7:18-20

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.

Are You Prepared or Preparing?

If you have a will, that is a good start. If that is all you have done, perhaps you need to go to a funeral and observe what is said and done. Then think about how fast the days fly and the things that are really important.

We have proof that God’s mercy is more. It is found in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. If you eat the bread (believe in the finished work of Jesus), you will live forever. John 6:51 records the words of Jesus: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

That is why the headstone says, “everlasting life.”