Tag: end of life

Aging, ancestors, Bible, Blues, Grief, Music, Sickness and Health, spirituality, Story, Suffering

Deathbed Blues

Gary Furr

Sermon 5 was originally the conclusion of “Feeling the Blues,” presented on Sunday, November 22, 2009, at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The title of this message is “The Deathbed Blues.” It’s based on the biblical story of King David and found in the book of 2nd Samuel, chapter 23, verses 1 through 7. And so we come to the end of this series of sermons on the blues and the church, the blues and the Christian life, the blues and the gospel. Two things that we might have been forgiven for thinking had very little to do … Continue reading Deathbed Blues

Aging, Death, Faith, Family, Family, Grief, Hope, Theology, Theology and Life

Getting Ready to Die … and Live

Gary Furr

A friend asked me about this piece.  I wrote it a few years back while talking to an engineer friend who was then trying to prepare for the end of his life. He kept asking me, “Gary, how do I KNOW I’m ready to die.” And I kept answering with pastoral comfort about facing death, quoting verses, and my typical caring responses. When I got home, I expressed my sense of frustration.  “I don’t think I answered his question, because he kept re-asking it.”

Vickie said, “Gary, he wants a punch list.  He’s an engineer (my wife’s father was an engineer), he wants a list of things to do.” Well, Myers Briggs, you did it again. So I set about a list, and she helped me with it. I have shared this often with my deacons in the church, with individuals, and it seemed useful to share it here if it helps. This is my list, so yours may be a little different, and it certainly isn’t exhaustive, but I know this: if you spend time preparing for death, you will really be prepared anew for life.

 

Getting Prepared to Die—and to Live

Gary and Vickie Furr Continue reading “Getting Ready to Die … and Live”