I really don't mean to be so dark, but this is what's on my mind...

First of all, thanks for your prayers for the Morris family. Things with Bing continue to be very precarious. He's still in the hospital, and times are difficult for the family.

I attended the funeral for Mrs. Turner yesterday, along with several good friends. Despite the rain-soaked morning, God was indeed good. It was the celebration of a life well-lived. It is always hard to watch people you love and care for endure such pain, but it is also joyous to know that her pain on Earth is finished. They had been married for 63 years. 63 years! That just boggles my mind.

Over the course of my life, I've attended probably about the same number of funerals as I have weddings. Ok, maybe slightly more weddings once college was in full-swing, but nonetheless, I've been to my fair share of both. In the last 8 years of my life, in fact, I've been to at least 8 funerals.

Things like that always cause you to go into "introspective" mode, at least for awhile. Do I tell the people I love that I love them? Do I truly value the time that I've so graciously been given? Do I live each day to the fullest? And on, and on.

And each time, I come away resolved to change the way that I treat people, the way that I live. And unfortunately, that behavior change sticks around for about as long as New Year's resolutions do.

And each time, I start to think about how I would want my funeral done. I told my stepmother once that I wanted a party - because simply put, I'd be in heaven with Jesus and people should be excited about that. She didn't quite feel the same way, quoting Ecclesiastes 3, and reminding me that there are seasons in which to mourn. Yes, I'm fully aware of those seasons. I guess I was thinking that if there were cupcakes involved, people would get past that mourning season and right on into the dancing. I'm not trying to be flippant about this, here. Please understand. Nor am I trying to be morbid. Just putting sundry thoughts together and hoping that it's in some way coherent.

Needless to say, this week will be touch-and-go. Your thoughts and prayers are valuable. Thanks for your friendship. And if I haven't told you lately, I do care about you sincerely. Please know that.