A time to be born, and a time to die... Ecclesiastes 3v2

My father-in-law Len’s funeral was on 8th April.

First, let me tell you about another 8th April, a long time ago, which fell on a Good Friday:
At about 1.30am my wife Cindy began to feel a bit uneasy and started wandering around the bedroom. So we got the neighbour to come and look after our little daughter Sarah and drove to Hospital in the firm’s Mini. Cindy didn’t sit on the seat for the whole journey, the traffic lights were all thankfully green. Ten minutes after we arrived, our son Matthew was born. Five minutes later, the call went up… 'Quick, there’s another…' and Stephen came into the world. We went in expecting one baby and came out with two! It was an unforgettable day !

The 8th April this year was also an amazing day…. The little chapel at Huttoft was packed with 200 people (it only holds 150).People remarked later that they had never been to such a funeral. It was a real celebration of Len’s long life. Many memories, yes, but also a resounding affirmation of Christian hope…. ‘Len is now with his Lord’. As Mother-in-law stated when she viewed his coffin the day before… ‘He’s not there, y’know’ and not for one moment did she doubt that we should be celebrating his promotion to glory.

Len’s brother’s funeral was on 22nd February, a number of years ago. It was a sad day for him. He propped himself up in a corner of the church and endured a grim memorial service. He came away thoroughly depressed by the whole thing.
While he was there, Cindy and I had been visiting the hospital again! Joanna was born in the afternoon and Sarah phoned to tell Len and Joyce just as they arrived back from the funeral. Len’s low spirits evaporated and he was full of joy.
Jo was to be the last of his grandchildren…(thereafter great-grandchildren began to appear...no.8 is due next month). It was a day he always remembered and often spoke about.

O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30 v3-5