Last week I had a small part in the funeral of Larry Clevinger’s sister and Lisa Owens’ mother, Betty Sue Owens.  I don’t usually share much about funerals, but most of you weren’t in Elkhorn City to attend the funeral.
     I said at the funeral that Larry and I butted heads last week like two old goats.   Knowing what was going on in my life, Larry was adamant that I didn’t need to make the 3+ hour trip to Eastern Kentucky.  Agape love on his part wanted the best for me.
     In 30 years of knowing Larry I don’t know of one funeral which I felt that I should have attended that I didn’t choose to attend.   As close as Larry and I are and knowing what Betty Sue meant in his life and Lisa’s life made me as adamant that I would do everything possible for me to be there for him, Lisa, and their family.  It was agape love on my part that wanted the best for Larry and Lisa.  And somehow I believed that my presence there would be the best for Larry and Lisa and the rest of their family.
     Was it a long a tiring day?   Sure it was.  Was it the right place for me to be?  I believe that Larry would tell you that it was.
     Our love for each other wanted what was best for each other.
     Agape love leads us to do things for others that we might not normally do.  Sometimes agape love puts us in difficult circumstances when we must choose to do the right thing.
     The best explanation of agape love I have heard came from the old sage Vae Duff who is now in heaven.   Vae said that agape love is when there are two pictures taken of you and a friend.  In one of the pictures you look good and your friend doesn’t.   In the other picture you don’t look good but your friend does.   Agape love means that you pick the picture in which your friend looks look and you don’t.
     Agape love.  May I respond today with agape love toward others.

     I apologize for not writing a blog the last several days.  I’m still kicking.  I had three families in my realm of influence who had a death in their families.  I chose to focus on them, rather than what was going on in my life.
     I am looking forward to this week.  It will be the first time in 12 weeks that I will not have any treatments and only two steroids later in the week.  It will be interesting to see if there is any sense of “normal” in the way that I feel.
     Dealing with death is one of the callings of being a pastor. 
Facing death is one of the realities of having cancer.   One of the three deaths was due to cancer.  I walked with the husband for two years as he dealt with his wife’s illness.  Their family knew I had some clue.
     One of the deaths was a very sudden thing.  The cancer death and the third death were long term illnesses.  I am not sure which is easier.  Initially the sudden death is more difficult.  On the other hand it is extremely difficult to watch someone you love suffer.
     I am not sure how non-believers deal with death—their own or the death of someone they love. 
     I know how believers face death—with assurance, hope, and peace.  I saw that in all three families this week.  Jesus’ words of assurance still ring in the hearts of those who love and trust Him.
     “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
     I have shared with you over these months that I have no fear of dying.  Jesus died and rose again. 
     For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  For to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
     That’s all I really need to know and believe.
     Three families understood that this week.