Thursday, January 8, 2009

We're home.





The funeral is over. We're home again. A lasagna is in the oven. I think it's Liz K's (thanks Liz). Martin is lying down til it's ready.

It was a beautiful funeral. The crowd was huge and attentive. The service and the sermon were Christ and resurrection centered. Everyone said it made a big impact and helped them. I'll try and make it available, here. Text: John 11, the death and raising of Lazarus.

The special music was superbly performed. Stefan's cello teacher Grazyna played one of his favorite pieces: Bach's prelude to cello suite #1. Hear it here. Kristin played "My Shepherd will supply my need."

It was a terribly cold day. There was fresh blowing snow. The roads were icy. I was just praying nobody would get hurt just because they were on the way to the funeral. One person ended up in the ditch, waiting for 4 hours to get out and never made it to the funeral; but I've heard of no injuries. There were sun dogs in the sky. The pall bearers froze.

I won't write anything else today. There are so many thoughts and feelings and lots of exhaustion.

God bless all. Thanks for everything everyone has done.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

My favourite of all Psalms, Psalm 121 was read at Stefan's funeral. Brigitte, you are the one who lead me to read this Psalm only a few short years ago. Reassured by the words...God is always with me;with us.
At Stefan's funeral I sang (belted out off key I am sure)Amazing Grace with all the energy I had in gratitude for God's grace. I sobbed immediately afterward with deep joy for Stefan being with our Heavenly Father, and deep sorrow for your/our loss. Stefan is forever more in peace.......I anticipate the day I too will see the face of God and live forever more in peace by God's grace alone through Jesus Christ His Son. I do this believe. Meanwhile back here on earth we will continue to bear witness of our Amazing Triune God's grace and mercy...together.

Brigitte said...

Thank you very much Mary. I am surprised I was able to sing all the hymns without breaking down, and even enjoyed singing together with so many. In a way it was a treat to be able to pick all your favorite hymns.

"Jesus priceless treasure" I like anytime I'm very sorrowful. I like the defiance in some verses and the faith and hope in the others.

Brigitte said...

Anke sent me this. I saw the sun dogs, too. That was kind of "cool". How cold does it have to be to get sun dogs? Did it look like a rainbow to you? I saw one dog to the left of the sun. Thanks for letting me post this.


"Dear Brigitte,
I wanted to let you know how much we appreciated the Christian emphasis for Stefan's funeral. Every single thing pointed to your faith in our risen Lord. My prayer the whole time was that someone searching, lost or uneducated would hear the wonderful
powerful words spoken by Gerald or the beautiful comforting words in the hymns and be led to seek Christ. Your faith was tested over the last days, but the way you presented the service only proved to me and everyone else that your faith would not be shaken.

As we left Bethel around 3:00 PM, there was a rainbow in the east. I've seen sun dogs in the winter, but never a rainbow at such cold
temperatures. It reminded me of the promise given to Noah. I wanted you to know that. It was like God comforting all leaving the ceremony. Not sure if anyone else caught it or even thought the same way I did, but I thought it was a beautiful symbol of our faith plus so unique for
this time of the year.

I pray you will get some rest and peace. I will be thinking about you."

Brigitte said...

It might have been a rainbow after all. Larry said it was raining on the southside. How can it rain on such a cold day? Martin says it is the warm air aloft.

It looked like sun dogs to me, though.