Redallnite
02-19-09, 10:58AM
As a young minister in Iowa , I was asked by a funeral director to hold a grave-side service.
For a homeless man, who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery.
Way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be buried there.
I was not familiar with the backwoods area, and I soon became lost. Being a typical man, I did not stop to ask for directions. I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the open grave,
But I was so late, the hearse was nowhere in sight.
The digging crew was eating lunch. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness,
And I stepped to the side of the open grave.
There I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long,
As I told them that this was the proper thing to do before the hole was filled.
The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as I began to pour out my heart and soul.
As I preached about 'looking forward to a brighter tomorrow' and 'the glory that is to come,' the workers began
To say 'Amen,' 'Praise the Lord,' and 'Glory!' The fervor of these men truly inspired me.
So, I preached and I preached like I had never preached before, all the way from Genes is to Revelations.
I finally closed the lengthy service with a prayer, thanked the men, and walked to my car.
As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I heard one of the workers say to another,
'I ain't NEVER seen nothing like that before in my life, and I've been putting in Septic Tanks for thirty years!
For a homeless man, who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery.
Way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be buried there.
I was not familiar with the backwoods area, and I soon became lost. Being a typical man, I did not stop to ask for directions. I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the open grave,
But I was so late, the hearse was nowhere in sight.
The digging crew was eating lunch. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness,
And I stepped to the side of the open grave.
There I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long,
As I told them that this was the proper thing to do before the hole was filled.
The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as I began to pour out my heart and soul.
As I preached about 'looking forward to a brighter tomorrow' and 'the glory that is to come,' the workers began
To say 'Amen,' 'Praise the Lord,' and 'Glory!' The fervor of these men truly inspired me.
So, I preached and I preached like I had never preached before, all the way from Genes is to Revelations.
I finally closed the lengthy service with a prayer, thanked the men, and walked to my car.
As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I heard one of the workers say to another,
'I ain't NEVER seen nothing like that before in my life, and I've been putting in Septic Tanks for thirty years!