Dreading the Funeral

Chad woke up in the morning dreading the funeral of his mother and little brother. He was expecting it to be sad, somber and depressing but he was wrong. There were many tears in the crowded sanctuary, especially in the rows where Chad sat with his family. But Pastor O'Neill conducted the service as a praise to God for the lives of his mother and brother. The songs sung and words spoken assured Chad that God is good and gracious when tragedy strikes. Even the brief service at the cemetery had an uplifting note as Pastor O'Neill reminded the family of the resurrection to come at Christ's appearing.

After the services, the church hosted a potluck supper in the fellowship hall for all who wanted to attend. Chad was surrounded by a crowd of loving people for a couple of hours. But as the people began to leave, he felt a little anxious. By tomorrow most of his visiting family would be gone, and on Sunday, Beth would fly back to college. Chad and his father would be alone for the first time since Margaret and Matthew died. Chad was not sure how he would handle it, but he knew that he had a great church family and friends who would help if they could.