A final goodbye to my grandmother: Back Home

I'm back home now. It was good to see everyone. As I flew home, I reflected on my grandmother's life and her funeral. I remembered what Solomon said, "It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart... The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure." (eEcclesiastes 7:2,4) Funerals make us face our own mortality. Our bodies will not live on forever, but our spirits will. The question is, where will we spend eternity? This is a question we must all ask ourselves. The scriptures teach that those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ will spend eternity with Him and will escape eternal judgment.

Funerals also make me ask myself, how am I living my life? Paul says, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2) I would include my grandmother among that great cloud of witnesses. She lived her life and lived it well, and so can I. It is examples like my grandmother that encourage me and inspire me to live a godly life. We have only one life to live, so lets live it well.

David Robison

A final goodbye to my grandmother: The Interment

Today we buried my grandmother. Here is a picture of my grandfather placing a purple flower on her casket. As he did he said, "I know you're not here dear, but it seems appropo to lay a purple flower on your coffin." Purple was her favorite color. I also heard a heart warming story from a man who grew up in her neighborhood. He said that my grandparents were the first ones in the neighborhood to get a color television, everyone else had black and white. So every year my grandmother would invite in all the children in the neighborhood to watch the Wizard of Oz. She would even make popcorn and have goodies for them. All these years later, it was still a vivid memory for him.

I was asked to speak briefly at her interment. I shared the following scripture.

"All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:13-16)

This world is not our home. We are just sojourners on this earth. God has prepared for us a new home with Him. A home where there is no sickness, disease, sorrow, pain, death, or goodbyes. It is a place that needs not the light of the sun or moon because the Lamb in the center is its light. My grandmother is now home and, one day, all of us who loved here will join her in the presence of our Lord.

David Robison

A final goodbye to my grandmother: The Funeral

Today was my grandmother's funeral. It was good to see so many friends and family come together to celebrate her life and to rejoice in her reward. Much of the family I had not seen for quite some time. Many who came shared how grandma (and grandpa) had touched their life. As they shared their stories, two things struck me. First, she was grandma to everyone. No matter who you were, you felt completely comfortable calling them grandma and grandpa. Secondly, a consistent theme in everyone's remembrance of her was her faith. Her faith was both a witness and a beacon to all who knew her. My grandfather shared a story about he and grandma that I had never heard before. It was 1930 when he first met my grandmother. He said that the first time he touched her, God spoke to him very clearly that she was his. So he asked her out on a date and the very next day he proposed to her. The only problem was that she was 14 and he was 16. Grandma was not quite ready to settle down and get married, but after five years of waiting, they were married.



I had the singular privilege of officiating my grandmother's funeral. It was an honor I had not expected. I wanted to share something that was both encouraging and challenging. My grandmother was not afraid to speak the word of the Lord and to even challenge someone if it was needed. I shared the scripture from the story of Lazarus'' death. As Jesus and Martha discussed Lazarus'' death, Jesus said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26) My grandmother believed in a now God. Not a God of yesterday, not a God of someday, but a God of today. She believed and lived her life as if God was with her every day. No matter what she needed, God was there to help her and to supply her with what every she needed in the moment. When there was a need, she did not wish God would meet the need, but she would pray believing that God would answer her prayers. At any moment of the day, no matter where she was, she could reach out and lay hold of her God and Savior. She did not wait for her death to begin to live in resurrection power, she lived it every day.


After the service, we returned to Hillcrest where my grandmother and grandfather lived. While waiting for supper, my grandfather asked my sister in-law to play some hymn so that they could worship awhile. This picture so typifies my grandmother's and grandfather's faith. At a time of great sorrow in his life, after saying goodbye to his wife of almost 70 years, he chooses to worship. In the good times and bad, my grandfather's first response is to worship. At first, I marveled at how well he was doing and how well he was holding up, but then I understand why. He is tapped into a strength far greater than anything you and I could muster up. He has found a source of joy that can comfort him in any sorrow. He has a father, brother, and friend that loves him more than any earthly human can. He serves a God who is ever gracious, kind, and loving to him. I hope that this might also be the testimony of my life as well.

David Robison

A final goodbye to my grandmother: The Viewing

Today was the viewing and another chance to see family and friends I hadn't seen in many years. It was hard to watch my grandfather saying goodbye to the woman he had loved for so many years. My grandparents had a tradition that they passed on to my parents and even to my wife and me. At each meal, after praying and asking God's blessing on the food, they would turn and kiss each other. Growing up, it was normal to see such signs of affection from my parents and grandparents.

My niece put together a lovely video tribute to grandma. As I watched the video record of her life it struck me how quickly our lives pass bye. It reminded me of this verse, "Their inner thought is that their houses are forever and their dwelling places to all generations; they have called their lands after their own names." Psalms 49:11 Most of us do not like to think about our end. We tend to live life as if life will go on pretty much as is always has, yet none of us will live forever. Life is quickly passing us by, we are but a vapor in time. Knowing that life is short, we must be diligent to give ourselves to those things that are of lasting value. Moses said, "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." (Psalms 90:12) Life is short, we have no time to loose. Therefore, let us live each day as if it might be our last, let us give ourselves to the things that are eternal, and taking an example from my grandmother, let us live our lives and live them well.

David Robison

A final goodbye to my grandmother: A Reunion

Today was our first full day in California. Six of my eight siblings have made it back to California for my grandmother's funeral. Today we were able to spend time visiting with each other. My dad also gave us a walking tour of the area that included La Verne college where he and my mom went to school. We also saw the church where my grandmother's father pastored. His final pastorate was the La Verne Church of the Brethren. This is a picture of the original church building. This is also the church where my father was baptized and where my mother had her graduation ceremony.


We also shared lunch and dinner with my grandfather at Hillcrest retirement home where he resides. Here is a picture of my grandfather and my father. My grandfather is 90 and was saved before he and my grandmother were married. He is both the natural and spiritual patriarch of our large extended family.

There were two stories that my grandfather shared that really gave testimony to his faith and love for our Lord. He told us that he was able to preach at his sister's funeral. About ten years ago, my grandma and grandpa started visiting and ministering to his sister. Every week they would make the long journey to his sisters house and spend time with her and help her out. Tough as it was, at times, a burden to them, they wanted to show her the love of the Lord. She had became angry at all men because of the actions of her late husband and she directed that anger at God the Father as well. One day, God came to her and said, "I come to you with love and you come to me with hate." These words broke her heart and she gave her heart to the Lord. My grandfather was in tears as he related this to us and as he remembers the joy he felt when she came to the Lord. For five years he and my grandmother ministered to her and, shortly before she was to pass away, she found the Lord. You could see not only my grandfather's love for his sister but also his joy in knowing that one who was lost found life in Jesus.

My grandfather's favorite hymn is How Great Thou Art. He shared with us that many times, when the reality of my grandmother's passing has been the hardest, he has closed his eyes and worshiped God with this hymn and it has brought him such great peace. When faced with the pain of losing his bride of 70 years, he is reaching out to God for strength, help, and grace. He is not bitter, but he is hurting, and in his pain, he is finding comfort in the Lord. Listening to him I learned a great lesson. No matter what life brings our way, in the good times and the bad, we must never stop reaching out to the Lord. Our Father loves us and is forever near to us to help up. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalms 46:1

David Robison

My grandmother's passing

Last night at about 8:45 PM eastern time, my grandmother passed away. She was 90 years old and next month she and my grandfather were to have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. My grandmother's father pastored four churches in southern California. She was saved at a young age and throughout her life she continued to walk with the Lord. While I miss her, I know that today she is in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As I thought about her passing, I was drawn to the following scripture:

"If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I." (John 14:28)

My grandmother is with her Savior and I am happy for her. I rejoice on her behalf that she is now receiving her reward in the presence of the Father. There is a part of me that wishes I could see what she is seeing, hear what she is hearing, and feel what she is feeling. I long to be as free as she is right now in His presence. My grandmother was a constant witness of the love of Christ for me and for many around her. She will be missed.

David Robison