The Earthly Grave

Today was a little different for me, I did something that I had never done before, I helped dig a grave by hand.  A lot of thoughts go through your mind when you do work like that.  And no, I am not superstitious and feel all creepy and crawly, but it really makes you think.

This wooden casket holds a body and someday will be indistinguishable from the ground around it which we are digging out now.  The wood will rot and man will return to the form that he had at the beginning of time, dirt.  

I asked myself why?  Why didn’t God make us to disappear completely, body and all when we die?  Why the cruel and harsh reality of how disposable we are?  And the only thing I can come up with is this.  God uses death to remind us that this life is only for here.  We came into this world with nothing and we most assuredly will take nothing with us when we leave.  Life here is final.  There is no changing anything once our body has given up it’s breath.  Yet, what we have done to touch the lives around us is the only thing that will last.  These are the only things we “take with us.”  

Everything we see will one day disappear. Everything we can’t see, will last forever!

Krystal walked with God in such a real way that we want to hold onto something of her.  It seems too…finale or something to put her in the cold ground.  Yet when you know her and watched her life and struggles, the best thing of her that I can hold onto is not tangible, but eternal.  It is her unquenchable love for her precious Savior.  If I can latch onto that, then I have a “piece” of Krystal.

Please pray for us here at Kitchi Pines.  I for one, find myself steeling my emotions against any sign of sorrow lest I loose it and fail in all the responsibilities that lay on us for this weekend’s funeral.  I know that I shouldn’t do it but it is the best way for me to cope right now.

But more than that, pray for Val’s family as they have far more questions and grief than I do.  I just hope that we can bear as much of the load as possible so that their weekend can be as free of decisions and responsibilities as possible.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Japheth, you and Val's family , will be in my thoughts and prayers!
janice
1/10/2006 7:05 PM
Anonymous said…
Thanks for sharing. Your posts help in some small way for those of us that can't physically be there. Our thoughts and prayers are for family and friends in the north along with the Yoder/Byler family's.
1/10/2006 7:33 PM
Glen Zehr said…
I am not sure what to say.... I'm sorry.....
Don't be afraid to mourn.....
1/11/2006 8:22 PM
Dorcas said…
When the Schrock children died, the family was in the spotlight all the time. However, there were people behind the scenes working very hard--namely their home church people. They put in long, exhausting hours and hardly had time to just grieve. Yet their grief was very real, since they all knew the children well. I imagine it's somewhat the same for all of you at Kitchi Pines. May God's grace be with you.
1/11/2006 8:40 PM
Anonymous said…
Japheth, thanks for posting these details for the funeral here. I went yesterday and found it quite easily. A very meaningful service.
I loved the comment the bride at the wedding made -- "Krystal would have loved to die at a wedding." And Dale's comment - "Krystal thought she was walking into Evie's wedding, when in fact she was walking into her wedding with the Lord Jesus Christ." The symbolism would have delighted Krystal!
1/12/2006 8:59 AM
Joe said…
Very poignent post. We will continue to pray for you and Val's family.
1/13/2006 6:18 AM
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