Cindy had injured her back while carrying Fernye to the hospital. She had done her best, and had successfully gotten Fernye there ...though it was deemed to be Fernye's time to travel to her eternal home. God's timing is different than our timing, and no one had known that better than Fernye.

 Fernye had prepared her own message that she wanted the preacher to read when she died.  This moment had come.  It is rather easy to read:

                                                                                                                    

"A funeral is not really about the one who appears to be the center of attention ---that is already a done deal.   A funeral is really about all  those left living.   What are the living going to do with their lives?  Okay, so some of you got kind of close to me.  Of course, you'll be hurting right now.  And I know most of you …you'll do a fine job supporting each other.   I have attended so many funerals in my life where there is more concern over how much an imposition into their own life the death has made ...than how really devastating it may be to the one who is truly grieving.  I once saw  a little girl lose both her parents.  Would you believe there was more talk about how difficult it was going to be on the rest of the family, instead of considering what the poor little girl must be going through?   Make sure to pause ---give them time to reflect on this one."

                                                                                                                
     The preacher waits until the few chuckles pass throughout the large attending crowd, then he continues:  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
     "The only way we can truly look at life is through death.  Much of our lives are otherwise rather meaningless and insignificant.   We fill our lives up with things that don't really matter. There are few moments in life that we actually get real.  The moments in life that I consider significant are moments we have to face grave sickness and disaster, most all moments in the mission field, births, weddings, and funerals.  Since this is my funeral, consideration should be taken to honor my requests.   I only have two.  Actually, I only have one.  I should say I only have two expectations at my funeral.  The first thing I expect is that people will cry.  I don't have to request it …I already know the ones who truly love me.  And I am thankful that there are many of you.  The second thing I expect, is a request I have.  I expect the truth to be told.   Not the truth about me …I don't want one single thing mentioned about me.   Where I'm going, it's not about me.  It's the truth about Jesus that I want to be told at my funeral.  And I want it to be told over and over.  Then if you still want to talk about something, talk about the most wonderful things in life.  Talk about births, and rebirths.   And talk about weddings ...unions, and reunions."

                               *********************

     Fernye knew well what kind of reception she was going to receive ...and what a blessed reunion in Heaven.  Though she wasn't aware of the significance of a reunion about to take place on earth.  Yet, if she was still on earth, she would certainly have higher hopes than anyone.