And be thankful

--she could gently and firmly steer a conversation away from herself, much more focusing on news from others and maintaining a wonderful curiosity about what was going on elsewhere in the church and community.

I've observed that some folks in this kind of situation turn inward, becoming concerned only about their own aches and pains.

But not Prudy. In a visit at home, she would dispatch the subject of her health in a few matter-of-fact comments and then move on to what was happening here at church or with other persons with whom she was especially concerned.

What a wonderful lesson and example!

Some become morose, irritable, grouchy, or demanding.

But not Prudy. She managed as long as she comfortably could at home, but when the medicine and symptom management became too much of a problem to handle at home, she readily agreed to move to the Gatehouse to make it easier on others as well as on herself.

What a kind thing to do, for everyone!

And these were not new behaviors; it is the way that she lived all along.

Things of beauty, and order, and care and precision, and thoughtfulness...

all of these were parts of her life.

How could it be that she used not only this bonus time of the past two years but a lifetime in these ways?

The clue is at the beginning of the passage from Colossians.

Paul says, As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with... and then Paul's list begins.

As God's chosen ones who are holy and beloved...

Anxiousness about ultimate things does not have to govern our thought and activities,

because we have been baptized, chosen by God.

Christ Jesus has made a promise to hold onto us, no matter what.

No enemy, not even death itself, can take that away from us.

We are holy, that is, set apart for God's special purposes.

This makes us both currently and ultimately valuable to him.

We have things to do and to be.

We are beloved by God,

even as characters from the Bible were beloved by God, including people like David who made tremendous mistakes.

There is room in God's heart to forgive us, to guide the amendment of our lives, for redirecting our activities.

As God's chosen ones who are holy and beloved... Paul says.

When we can hear that as Good News, it lifts a tremendous weight from us.

Burdens are transformed into opportunities;

words that drive us apart become words that bring us together;

dread of the future becomes trust and hope in Christ Jesus;

and we can sing with gratitude.

What can we do but give thanks?

In the past 11 hours today we have had

--time for rest and sleep,

--time for food and shelter,

--time to comfort and encourage one another in Christ Jesus,

--time to greet old friends and make new acquaintances,

--time to give thanks to God for these things, for the gift of Prudy's life with us, and so much more.

Thank you, Lord God our Father.

Whether the gift of time that is being given to each of us is hours or decades, the best way to honor the memory of this wonderful lady Prudy Poff is to act in ways that mirror hers, and to follow Paul's admonition:

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.