Gratitude and Grief and Grace!

Core Thoughts: Last Week Was An Amazing Week! Sadness, gratitude, sacredness...all rolled together!

I went to the funeral this past Wednesday of an amazing lady...Cordery Robinson, mother of Gordon Robinson who was pastor here at Denmark FBC for 12 years. I had the joy of serving as his associate for 5.5 of those years. Cordery was known as Big Mama (though quite petite) to her family, and lived 92 great years, facing life, mountain tops and valleys, with a simple,profound, powerful, enduring faith in her Lord.

The themes of her memorial service were put Jesus first, others second and yourself third, and never just do what is expected of you, do better. She was an optimist...if she had a flat tire, she thanked God it happened near someone's house who helped her. Her last several months were spent in pain and discomfort, but never in despair or self-pity. She never lost her optimistic edge, nor her desire to point people in the direction of the Lord. Her family described her last months as a continuing revival, with her being very vocal about wanting to see Jesus, and about how God's grace had truly saved her, giving her an extraordinary peace in facing her death.

When asked if she had regrets, she talked only of gratitude. She wanted God to wait until after her 92nd birthday to (her words) "pull the plug." At that celebration she asked to make a speech, and she did...tell her family that the most important thing in life was to put Christ first and follow him.

Her grandson, Brian, did an eloquent and effective job in describing his admiration for Big Mama, who was good at growing things, and who had planted many seeds in his life and the lives of others. He surprised most of us by singing a gospel song acapella. Gordon also spoke of having a wonderful, faithful mother, whose faith as expressed in the past several months, had awed him and others. How great to see a child to be able to proclaim publicly his gratitude for having had such a great mom. Her example will be remembered by all who knew her, and all who knew her would do well to imitate that example!