What are your thoughts, perceptions, or ideas of funerals?
For me, I usually feel awkward, uneasy, and a little unsure of myself. However, there is one aspect to funerals I enjoy. I know that sounds a little funny or even wrong; but hear me out.
I enjoy the time when people share. Love hearing about their life, their experiences, what shaped them, how others interacted with them. Especially, when I didn’t know the person well who passed away. Hearing the stories allow for the individual’s life to take shape.
When stories are shared, the person’s life comes alive. Stories of success, failure, mischief, relationships, crazy experiences, funny moments, sad endings. Laughter, tears, gasps fill the room as people remember the life of the person. It’s as if the story of their life is jumping off the pages of a novel you can’t put down and you have been invited in that moment into their story.
The beauty is, we all have a story; part has been written (our past), is being written (our present), and will be written (our future). And we don’t have to wait until we die to remember it, celebrate it, and intentionally write it!
We don’t have to settle for what has been written or allow others to write our story. Intentionality is the essential ingredient to writing the story we are meant to live! And it starts today.
First, we need to understand the greater story.
The story of our universe, world, humanity, didn’t start with you or me. But began with Creator God. He has written a story and all humanity and the universe play a role within it. We are a part of something much much bigger than ourselves.
Secondly, we need to understand what role we play within God’s story.
We were all created with a purpose and with meaning. There is no other Jonathan Van Horn in the world with my features, personality, abilities, etc. And the same goes for you! We all have been given a role to play and no one else can play your role as well as you. I can’t do it, your friends or family can’t do it. You play the best you!
Finally, we need to engage with and join others in their story.
Come along side, journey with, and help those around us. Not so that we write their story, but rather we champion others as they write! We are created to thrive, interact, and invest in others. We were not to created to write a story with only one character.
Intentionality is essential!
If you don’t intentionally engage with your story and the greater story; you will ebb and flow with life’s current. Don’t allow others, culture, life to dictate your story.
Own it, remember it, write it, and live it!