One Monday, we had a memorial prayer service for L (our parishioner who died on Friday). It was an incredibly uplifting service. We sang lots of hymns (basically hymn-sing style with people naming requests), several people (including myself) shared memories, and there was much prayer. It was totally what L would have wanted and it replaced the morbid visiting hours at the funeral home. The first hymn was “Let All Things Now Living” (one of my favorites) and the closing one was “Silent Night”. (Yes… “Silent Night”. Apparently, L and her husband had frequently sung this as a duet at Christmas and the kids requested it.)

Yesterday, the funeral was at 2 and went very well. It was a joyful occasion with some tears and finished with “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”. The sermon was wonderful (props to Jon who was an excellent preacher and worship leader) and the sharing time was also just wonderful. There was a lunch afterward with sandwiches, fruit, and chocolate angel food cake (something that L was known for baking for people — there was a pyramid of her cake pans on display) and then we went to the church for the interrment. The family released balloons in the air and we sang “Amazing Grace”.

When we got home, I decided to go for a walk and discovered after a block or so that I was having to push myself to keep moving. I made it through all 3 miles and collapsed into bed after I showered. I fell asleep watching women’s gymnastics and saw Romania get the gold medal. (I wish the US had won but Romania deserved it.) I slept until 10:30 this morning with a small interlude to let the mewing cats into the bedroom at 6:30. Edda chewed me out for a good 90 seconds. (She chirps and it was like she was saying “WHY didn’t you let me sleep with you last night?!?!?!?! I am a beautiful black cat and I purr better than anyone else here!!!!”) She then went to sleep on the end of the bed before rising a few hours later to be pantherish.