Taking the final step

Last week the theme was "Making the first step." This week
we follow the theme of "Taking the final step."

Nor will we be morbid.

Death should never be regarded as the 'Grim Reaper' but merely as the 'Grim Doorman' who opens the way to the inexpressible world to come.

My mother took her final step with great flair. She was in her 99th year.

I had been seeing her regularly on trips home to England. As I made my farewell in her 98th year I said "Mother you must die sometime. When you do, can you arrange that I be in England so that I can say some words over your casket? If I'm preaching in the jungles of Africa I won't be able to come home for your funeral. So make sure that I'm around when you depart."

A year later, my sister Anne phoned me to say that mother had passed away.

Astonishingly I was due to fly out to England two days later. Mother's timing was exquisite.

Mother had been in a senior's complex for five weeks. She had been asked to leave the self-contained apartment where she had lived for many years. She had left some lamb chops on the stove, gone to sleep and nearly incinerated herself (and everyone else).

Now she was with the community in the Senior Folks Home.
On that particular day there was an entertainer at the Centre leading the seniors in a collection of songs from the Second World War.

It occurred to mother that there was not enough effort being given by her fellow citizens. Promptly she jumped to her feet and encouraged them with a loud rendering of "Bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover."

As mother hit the high note she went cold and a few minutes later was gone to be with the Lord. The vindicating moment of a life long faith in Christ

Gone on a high note and, for that Bluebird, it was over!

I preached at her eulogy a few days later, gave thanks for a life well lived and for a lady who made her final step in style.