Heartfelt Funeral Service

[fenderbelly]

As a young minister, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a
graveside service for a homeless man, with no family or friends. The
funeral was to be held at a newly established cemetery way back in the
country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost; and, being
a typical man, I did not stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour
late. I saw the back-hoe and the crew which were already eating their
lunch but the hearse was nowhere in sight.

I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, but stepped to the side of
the open grave, where I saw the vault lid was already in place.

I assured the workers that I would not hold them up for long, but this
was the proper thing to do.

The workers all gathered around, still eating their lunch. I poured out
my heart and soul. As I preached, the workers began to say Amen, "Praise the Lord," and "Glory." I really got into it, as I preached, and I
preached, like I had never preached before: from Genesis to Revelation.

I closed the lengthy service with a prayer, and walked to my car.

As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I heard one of the
workers saying to another,

"I ain't never seen anything like that before and I've been putting in
septic tanks for twenty years."

[Allan at Wallan]

Wallan is a very old town and the local
cemetery is now full.

But they are a very progressive mob around here
... just last week my neighbour shot a bloke dead
just so they could start a new cemetery.

Allan

__________________________________

I am not at all worried about dying
... but just hope I am not there at the time.