Rambling from a Funeral

Yesterday I sang at a funeral. It was your typical funeral for someone who was not elderly by any means, though up in years. The death was not really expected, so that added to the difficulty in saying goodbye. I have done hundreds of funerals through the years, and as far as funerals go this one was no different than most. 

I got to thinking during the funeral though about how the people that attend a funeral often tell a lot about how that person lived. If a person was really family oriented, there tends to be a large family delegation. If they were really involved in their church, you see a lot of church folks. If they were really involved in some hobby or club like bikers or something, you typically can see it at the funeral. If they were a loner type, you might not even fill up a row. 

Have you ever thought about who is going to show up at your funeral? Have you ever wondered what the snapshot of your life will look like based on who shows up? I did yesterday. You know, sometimes we spend a lot of time trying to live life for people or groups that ultimately will not even notice your departure. I hope the people that show up at my funeral will be a testimony to the fact that I loved my family, my church, and tried to make a difference in the lives of people. I hope that when I die people will say that I made an impact on them not just an impression. I spend way too much energy and worry trying to make an impression and missing opportunities to make an impact. Hopefully, not anymore...

What are you doing to make an impact versus an impression? Just a few ramblings from a funeral...