The Lord is Our Shepherd

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The Lord is Our Shepherd

Psalm 23

We've come to say Good-by to Leona and partly to remember her impact on our lives.

            -     Fred and her meeting at Storm Lake after he came from Illinoise

-         The way she could remember all the workers favorite foods and prepare them when they came to help

-         How she missed her family and would take the train back to Newell

-         Her love of sports especially the MN Twins of the 60’s and 70’s (knowing all the batting averages)

-         The way she could talk about any subject (Very informed despite her 8th grade education)

-         How she never allowed slang or cursing

-         The wonderfull way she would sew all the girls cloths

-         Raising those 500 baby chicks and collecting and cleaning the eggs

-         The jigsaw puzzles

-         Fishing for bullheads

-         And the Joy she got out of the first Snow fall of the year and blizzards

-         63 years together with Fred, hardly ever apart.

            All of these and many more are special memories and an important part of saying good-by.  At funerals we share our memories and our grief's, but we also look inward and do a self evaluation.  This is especially true as we gather here today.  Leona knew she was going to die some day and was preparing for it all her life.

            Most poeple don't expect to die.  We go through life expecting to live to be very old.  At a time like this we are forced to deal with not only Everett's death but also our own mortality.   We all will die.  It's at this time we consider our own lives and what death will mean for us.

I.    Some people measure their lives by what they accomplish

A.  Did I make a lot of money

B.  Was I famous

C.  Was my life successful

D.  Was my life happy

E.   All of these things go away when we die

1.   For many people life is measured by the things of this world

2.   When they die there is nothing left for them; it's over

a)   No hope, no peace, no reason for joy even at death

b)   Death is something to be avoided and to fear

II.  The Believer in Christ's life is measured by a different Standard

A.  They put their hope in the Lord

1.   The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want

2.   Leona trusted in the Lord for Her hope

B.  God will guide their life both before and after death

1.   He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters

2.   Leona was lead by the still waters in Holy Baptism when God claimed Her as His own

C.  The believer knows they are a sinner and in need forgiveness

1.      He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

-         For God so loved the World that he gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

-         God had given Leona eternal life

2.   The Lord restored Leona's soul By the forgiveness of sins that was given freely to Her By Jesus's death on the cross  (John 3:16)

D.  The Believer in Christ is not afraid of death

1.   Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff  they comfort me.

2.   All who have been washed in the waters of baptism who repent of their sins and who confess a belief in Jesus Christ can rightly say that we are not afraid of death for Jesus went the way of death first and rose from the tomb to give us the path to eternal life.

E.   The believer trusts that God has a better place ready for us when we die

1.   Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.

2.      Leona has entered Her eternal rest, she now feasts at the table that has been prepared for her.

3.      She has gone to the place prepared for her and now rest from her labors.

3.   This same rest has been prepared for each of us, we need only confess repent and believe to receive

F.   The child of God has hope in this world because our life is judged by a different standard

1.   Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

2.   Even in difficult times, when faced with hardship, sickness, temptation, and death we can still find comfort because we know that we will live forever in the House of the Lord.

            This is the Hope Leona had and taught her family.  It is a lesson she taught well. Tim had these words to describe Leona’s impact on the grandchildren, “She was the Grandmother of Grandmother’s.  She always had candy bars in the ice box, juicey fruit gum in the drawer and Pop, Pepsi or Mountain Dew in the frig.  And always my Smarty’s canddies.  She was the definition of Grandmother

            Today Leona is seated at the table of the Lord.  Today She lives forever.  This same assurance can be for all who believe and trust in Christ.  Today we examine our own lives and can find hope even in the face of death, for the Lord is our Shepherd.

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