John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16-NLT Version

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Our thoughts are ever with you
Though you have passed away.
And those who loved you dearly
Are thinking of you today.

John 6:47

Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.
John 6:47-NLT Version
I assure you, anyone who believes in me already has eternal life.

Everyday in some small way
Memories of you come our way.
Though absent, you are always near
Still missed, loved and always dear.

Revelation 21:4

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes

And death shall be no more,

Nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more,

For the former things are passed away.
Revelation 21:4-NLT Version
He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.

Your presence we miss,
Your memory we treasure,
Loving you always,
Forgetting you never.

Luke: 20:38

God is not the God of the dead but of the living.
All are alive for him.

Luke: 20:38-NLT Version

So he is the God of the living, not the dead. They are all alive to him.

No farewell words were spoken,
No time to say goodbye,
You were gone before we knew it,
And only God can tell us why.

Colossians 3:1-4

Since you have raised up in company with Christ,
set your heart on what pertains to higher realms where
Christ is seated at God’s right hand.
Be intent on things above rather than on things on earth.
After all you have died! Your life is hidden now with God.
When Christ our life appears,
then you shall appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:1-4 -NLT Version
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. 2 Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. 3 For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your* real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Those we love don’t go away,
They walk beside us every day,
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
Still loved, still missed and very dear.

John 14:1-3

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:1-3-NLT Version

Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

We can’t have old days back
When we were all together.
But secret tears and loving thoughts
Will be with us forever.

Stairway to Heaven

If Tears Could Build a Stairway
And Memories, a Lane
I Would walk right up to Heaven
And Bring You Home Again.

Thank you for loving and sharing,
For giving and for caring.
God bless you and keep you,
Until we meet again.

Sudden Unexpected Loss

Little did we know that morning
What sorrow the day would bring.
Our loss was great, the shock severe
To part with one we loved so dear.
We could not say our last farewell
Or even say good-bye
For you were gone before we knew
And only God knows why.

Your gentle face and patient smile
With sadness we recall
You had a kindly word for each
And died beloved by all.

Chinese Proverb

Life is a dream walking, death is going home.

Your life was a blessing
your memory a treasure…
You are loved beyond words
and missed beyond measure…

Victor Hugo

“Sorrow is a fruit. God does not make it grow on limbs too weak to bear it.”

You are not forgotten loved one
Nor will you ever be.
As long as life and memory last
We will remember thee.

William Wordsworth

“The music is my heart I bore, long after it was heard no more.”

We miss you now, our hearts are sore,
As time goes by we miss you more,
Your loving smile, your gentle face,
No one can fill your vacant place.

Footprints on our Hearts

“Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts,
and we are never the same”.

Your touch, your smile,
Was always so tender,
Today, tomorrow,
We will always remember.

Emily Dickinson

“Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality”.

We miss you in so many ways,
We miss the things you used to say,
And when old times we do recall,
It’s then we miss you most of all.

Human Spirit

“The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it.”

Nothing can ever take away
The love a heart holds dear.
Fond memories linger every day
Remembrance keeps him/her near.

See Another Through

“We are not put on this earth to see through one another, but to see one another through.”

Looking back with memories,
Upon the path you trod,
We bless the hours we had with you,
And leave the rest with God.

Roses in December

“God gave us memories so that we might have roses in December.”

Those we love we never lose,
For always they will be,
Loved, remembered, treasured,
Always in our memory.

Loss

“We never understand how little we need in this world until we know the loss of it.”

It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you did not go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.

Dawn has Come

“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because dawn has come.”

Think of him/her as living
In the hearts of those he/she touched.
For nothing loved is ever lost
And he/she was loved so much!

Let me, O Lord

Let me, O Lord, walk blindly on the path that you have traced.
I do not seek to understand Your guidance.

A silent thought, a secret tear,
Keeps your memory ever dear,
God took you home, it was his will,
But in our hearts, you live still.

My World

I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden.
I asked God for a tree, He gave me a forest.
I asked God for a river, He gave me an ocean.
I asked God for the world, He gave me “loved one’s name here”.
My heart is lost to you always and forever.

I have fought the good fight
I have finished the race
I have kept the faith.

More Funeral Poems

The 23rd Psalm

The Lord is my Shepherd: I shall not want

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the

Paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the

Shadow of death. I will fear no evil:

For thou art with me: thy rod and

Thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the

Presence of mine enemies:

Thou anointest my head with oil:

My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow

Me all the days of my life: and I will

Dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

God saw you getting tired
and a cure was not to be.
So he put his arms around you
and whispered “Come to Me”.
A golden heart stopped beating,
hard working hands now rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.

Footprints

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.

For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him, and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of his life, there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way.

But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints.

I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.”

The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child. I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints…

…it was then that I carried you.”

God saw you getting tired
and a cure was not to be.
So he put his arms around you,
and whispered “Come to Me”.
With tearful eyes we watched you,
we watched you fade away.
Although we loved you dearly,
we could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
hard working hands now rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.

God’s Chair

A man’s daughter had asked the local priest to come and pray with her father, lying very ill and needing consolation. When the priest arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The priest assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. “I guess you were expecting me,” he said.

“No, who are you?”

“I’m the new priest at your local church,” the priest replied.

“When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up.”

“Oh yeah, the chair,” said the bedridden man.

“Would you mind closing the door?” Puzzled, the priest shut the door.

I’ve never told anyone this, not even my daughter,” said the man.

“But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the priest talk about prayer, but it always went right over my head.

I abandoned any attempt at prayer,” the old man continued, “until one day a few years ago my best friend said to me, “Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here’s what I suggest: Sit down; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It’s not spooky because he promised “I’ll be with you always.’ Then just speak to him and listen in the same way you’re doing with me right now.’ So, I tried it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I’m careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous breakdown or have me committed to the funny farm.”

The priest deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old guy to continue on the journey, he then prayed with him, and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the priest that her daddy had died that afternoon.

“Did he seem to die in peace?” he asked.

“Yes, when I left the house around two o’clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes, and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead.

But there was something strange, in fact, beyond strange-really weird.

Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on a chair beside the bed.”

Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what’s to be,
A resting place along the road,
To sweet eternity.

We all have different journeys,

Inspirations

A true story…
Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six year old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, “God is great and God is Good. Let us thank Him for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!”

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, “That’s what’s wrong with this country. Kids today don’t even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!”

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, “Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?”

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, “I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer.” “Really?” my son asked. “Cross my heart.” Then in theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), “Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.”

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, “Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes and my soul is good already.” -Author Unknown

Different paths along the way,
We are all meant to learn some things,
But never meant to stay.

Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know,
For some the journey’s quicker,
For some the journey’s slow.

But when the journey finally ends,
We’ll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the Lord.

Wait

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said,
“Child, you must wait”.
“Wait? You say, wait!” my indignant reply.
“Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is Your hand shortened?
Or have you not heard?
By Faith, I have asked, and am claiming your Word.
My future and all to which I can relate
Hangs in the balance, and
YOU tell me to WAIT?
I’m needing a ‘yes’,
a go-ahead sign,
Or even a ‘no’ to which I can resign.
And Lord, I’ve been asking, and this is my cry: I’m weary of asking!
I need a reply!”
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate As my Master replied once again,
“You must wait.”
So, I slumped in my chair,
Defeated and taut and grumbled to God,
“So, I’m waiting…for what?”
He seemed, then, to kneel,
And His eyes wept with mine,
And He tenderly said,
“I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens,
And darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and
Cause mountains to run.
All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want –
But you wouldn’t know Me.
You’d not know the depth of My love for each Saint;
You’d not know the power that I give to the Faint;
You’d not learn to see through the clouds of Despair;
You’d not learn to trust just by knowing I’m There;
You’d not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence were all you could See.
You’d never experience that fullness of Love
As the peace of My Spirit descends like a Dove;
You’d know that I give and I save…for a Start
But you’d not know the depth of the beat of My Heart.
The glow of My comfort late into the Night,
The faith that I give when you walk without Sight,
The depth that’s beyond getting just what you Asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST.
You’d never know, should your pain quickly Flee,
What it means that “My grace is sufficient for Thee.”
Yes, your dreams for your loved one overnight would come True,
But, Oh, the loss! If I lost what I’m doing in You!
So, be silent, My Child, and in time you will See
That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.
And though oft’ may My answers seem terribly Late,
My most precious answer of all is still, “Wait.’”
-Author Unknown

Little did we know that morning
God was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
in death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
but you did not go alone.
For part of us went with you,
the day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories,
your love is still our guide.
And though we cannot see you,
you are always by our side.
Our family chain is broken
and nothing seems the same.
But as God calls us one by one,
the chain will link again.

How Did You Know?

The day before Thanksgiving I was down to my last delivery. I was tired, feeling distinctly un-Thanksgivingish. I groaned when I saw the address. It was 40 miles away via a narrow, curving canyon road. Why did I get “stuck” with this visit?

The form from social services said the family had no telephone, so I struck out, trying to follow sketchy directions. A local pointed me to a small, neat house. When I knocked, two women and a 12-year-old girl all came to the door. They appeared to be grieving – and certainly were not expecting a guest.

I introduced myself. “Did someone from social services get in touch with you?” I asked. When they said, “No,” I explained what I was doing, “Would you be able to use a container of food donated by our hospital employees?”

The sisters embraced and sobbed, nodding their assent. I eyed the bare kitchen, remembering leftover groceries in my van. I hauled in a dozen bags of food. Eventually the women explained that their father had died the week before. He was their sole breadwinner, Now, they didn’t know how they would survive. “How did you know to knock on our door?” they exclaimed, “The only food we have is two TV dinners we’re saving for Thanksgiving Day. And now – this!” – Chaplain Ron Hyrchuk

If we could have a lifetime wish
and one dream that could come true
We would pray to God with all our
hearts just to see and speak to you
A thousand words won’t bring you back
We know because we’ve tried
and neither will a million tears
We know because we’ve cried
You’ve left behind our broken hearts
and precious memories too
But we’ve never wanted memories
We only wanted you

Right now I’m in a different place
And though we seem apart
I’m closer than I ever was
… I’m there inside your heart

I’m with you when you greet each day
And while the sun shines bright
I’m there to share the sunsets, too
… I’m with you every night

I’m with you when the times are good
To share a laugh or two,
And if a tear should start to fall
… I’ll still be there for you

And when that day arrives
That we no longer are apart,
I’ll smile and hold you close to me
… Forever in my heart

As you hold me close in memory,
even though we are apart,
my spirit will live on,
there within your heart .
I am with you always.

When you lean on trusted friends
and their caring hugs enfold you,
within their loving arms,
I’ll be there to hold you.
I am with you always.

And beyond the far horizon
when we’ll finally be together,
where love will be eternal
and life will last forever.
I am with you always.

God looked around his garden
and found an empty place
He then looked down upon this earth
and saw your tired face
He put his arms around you
and lifted you to rest
God’s garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best
He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain
He knew that you would never
get well on earth again
He saw that the road was getting rough
and the hills are hard to climb
So he closed your weary eyelids
and whispered, “Peace be thine”
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home

Although death has separated us physically,
faith and love have bound us eternally.
Though we cannot see you,
we know you are here.
Though we cannot touch you,
we feel the warmth of your smile,
as we begin a new chapter in our lives.

Today we pause to reflect upon
those who have shaped our character,
molded our spirits and touched our hearts.
May the lighting of this candle be a
reminder of the memories we have shared,
a representation of the everlasting
impact you have made upon our lives.

You were a gift sent straight from Heaven.
Given to us from God above.
We didn’t know how much you would teach us
About the meaning of true love…
For true love sometimes means letting go
Of someone precious and dear.
That is what we were forced to do…
Although we wanted to keep you here!!!
However, this is quite a selfish wish.
One we know we should ignore…
But, sweet (babies name), we truly do believe
That God must have needed you more…
Perhaps to be an Angel now,
Full of wisdom and love…
Watching over those of us who love you
From the shining stars above.
We miss you more than you can know.
You will never be replaced…
In our hearts and memories forever,
Will be your sweet and innocent sleeping face.

If Roses grow in Heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me
Place them in my Mother’s arms
And tell her they’re from me
Tell her I love her and miss her
And when she turns to smile
Place a kiss upon her cheek
And hold her for awhile
Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day
But there’s an ache within my heart
Because I am missing her today…

Those we love remain with us
for love itself lives on
Cherished memories never fade
because one loved is gone
Those we love can never be
more than a thought apart
For as long as there is a memory
they live on in our heart

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am a diamond glint of snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awake in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft star shine at night.
Do not stand by my grave and cry
I am not there…
I did not die.

I’d like the memory of me
to be a happy one,
I’d like to leave an afterglow
of smiles when life is done..
I’d like to leave an echo
whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times
and bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve,
to dry before the sun,
Of happy memories that I leave behind
When life is done.

This day will be a celebration
of the short time you were here.
You will always be remembered
with great love and many tears.
But to only feel pain and sorrow
would not be fair to you.
Your life meant so much more to us,
more than words could say.
You were here so briefly,
I wonder if you knew
all the ways you’ve touched
our world and our hearts
and everyone who knew you
since the day God called you home.
Now my child, you’re an angel
with your heavenly Father above,
we see not only what we’ve lost
but our capacity of love.
There will always be a big void
in our life and a hole in our
hearts that will never heal.
Our souls will grieve forever.
Will we forget or stop loving you?
No! Not now…not ever.
As this day is upon us,
oh, how our hearts still hurt.
But even as I mourn your death,
we will always celebrate your birth.
It was the happiest day of our lives.

A candle to remember, may it burn ever so bright
As we look to the heavens on this very night.
Beyond the stars, our dear (persons name) soars
Embraced by (her/his) Savior on heaven’s shores.
As the angels protect (her/him) and sing (her/his) sweet name
We honor (her/his) life with the glow of this flame.
So we light this candle for our (persons name) tonight
As a symbol of our love and (her/his) eternal life.

For those who are
in our hearts on
our Wedding Day
~ and Always ~
bless us in spirit
as we begin our
new life together

“The Best”

God saw you getting tired
and a cure was not to be.
So He put His arms around you
and He whispered “Come to Me”
With tearful eyes we watched you.
We watched you fade away.
Although we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard-working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He chose to take the best.
It’s lonesome here without you
we miss you more each day.
Life doesn’t seem the same
since you have gone away.
When days are sad and lonely
and everything goes wrong,
we seem to hear you whisper
“Cheer Up and Carry On”
Each time we see your picture
you seem to smile and say,
“Don’t cry, I’m in God’s hands,
we’ll meet again someday!”

Although we can’t see you
We know you are here
Smiling down
Watching over us
As we say “I Do”
Forever in our hearts
Forever in our lives
And so we say our vows
In loving memory of you

The moment that you died
my heart was torn in two,
one side filled with heartache,
the other died with you.
I often lie awake at night,
when the world is fast asleep,
and take a walk down memory lane,
with tears upon my cheeks.
Remembering you is easy,
I do it everyday,
but missing you is heartache
that never goes away.
I hold you tightly within my heart
and there you will remain.

To the Child in my Heart

O precious tiny sweet little one you will always be to me,
so perfect, pure and innocent just as you were meant to be.
We dreamed of you and of your life and all that it would be,
we waited and longed for you to come and join our family.
We never had the chance to play, to laugh to rock to wiggle,
we long to hold you, touch you now and listen to you giggle.
I will always be your mother, he’ll always be your dad,
you will always be our child, the child that we had.
But now you’re gone…but yet you’re here,
we’ll sense you everywhere,
you are our sorrow and our joy, there’s love in every tear.
Just know our love goes deep and strong,
we’ll forget you never.
The child we had, but never had and yet we’ll have forever.

This time tomorrow night you’ll be
A thousand miles away from me
Though you will be far away
I’ll be dreaming of the day
When you come back home to me
Flying back across the sea
Flying home, no more to part
Flying back to me, sweetheart

Though I know you have to go
I am gonna miss you so
So think of me while we’re apart
And I will keep you in my heart
I’ll be dreaming of the day
Dreaming of the day you’ll say
I’m flying back, no more to part
Flying back to you, sweetheart

The time has come to say goodbye
So leave me now for you must fly
I’ll keep dreamin’ of the day
Dreamin’ of the day you’ll say
I’m flying back, no more to part
I’m flying back to you, sweetheart

Got a picture of you I carry in my heart,
Close my eyes to see it when the world gets dark,
Got a memory of you I carry in my soul,
I wrap it close around me when the nights get cold,
If you ask me how I’m doing I’d say just fine,
But the truth is, if you could read my mind,
Not a day goes by, that I don’t think of you,
After all this time, you’re still with me it’s true,
Somehow you remain, locked so deep inside,
Not a day goes by…

I lit a candle tonight, in honor of you
Remembering your life, and all the times we’d been through.
Such a small little light the candle made
Until I realized how much in darkness it lit the way.
All the tears I’ve cried in all my grief and pain
What a garden they grew, watered with human rain.
I sometimes can’t see beyond the moment, in hopeless despair.
But then your memory sustains me, in heartaches repair.
I can wait for the tomorrow, when my sorrows ease
Until then I’ll light this candle, and let my memories run free.

He/She wasn’t a hero known by the world
But a hero he/she was to his little girl/boy.

I knew his/her voice before I could speak
And loved it when he/she would sing me to sleep.

He/She taught us life’s lessons of right from wrong
And instilled in us values that we might be strong.

And so through the years like a hero he/she stood
Working to give all that he/she could.

His/Her presence was important and we loved to see him/her smile
For no one in the world could emulate his/her style.

And so dear Dad/Mom my best memory to recall
Is the gift of your presence
The greatest gift of all.

Irish Blessing

May the road
rise up to meet you,
May the wind
be always at your back,
May the sun shine
warm upon your face,
And the rains fall
soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you
in the palm of His hand.

There is always a face before me,
A voice I would love to hear,
A smile I will always remember,
Of a brother I loved so dear.
Deep in my heart lies a picture,
More precious than silver or gold,
It’s a picture of my brother,
Whose memory will never grow old.

An angel in the book of life
Wrote down our baby’s birth
She whispered as she closed the book
“Too beautiful for earth.”

Message from Heaven

I still hear the songs
I still see the lights
I still feel your love
I still share your hopes
and all of your cares
I’ll even remind you
to please say your prayers
I just want to tell you
you still make me proud
You stand head and shoulders
above the crowd
Keep trying each moment
to stay in his grace
I came here before you
to help set your place
You don’t have to be
perfect all of the time
He forgives you the slip
if you continue to climb
To my family and friends
please be thankful today
I’m still close beside you
in a new special way
As I am now beside Jesus
in the heaven’s above
Please take care of each other
I send you my love

A Visitor From Heaven

A visitor from heaven If only for awhile
A gift of love to be returned we think of you and smile
A visitor from heaven accompanied by grace
Reminding of a better love and of a better place
With aching hearts and empty arms we send you with a name
It hurts so much to let you go but we’re so glad you came
We’re so glad you came a visitor from heaven
If only for a day we thank Him for the time He gave
And now it’s time to say we trust you to the Fathers love
And to His tender care held in the everlasting arms
And we’re so glad you’re there we’re so glad you’re there
With breaking hearts and open hands we send you with a name
It hurts so much to let you go but we’re so glad you came
We’re so glad you came

For those gone in presence
but here in essence
This light shines as a symbol
of lives and loves remembered

I am home in heaven dear ones,
oh so happy and so bright.
There is perfect joy and beauty,
in this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over,
every restless yearning past.
I am now at peace forever,
safely home in heaven at last.
Dear ones, do not grieve so sorely,
for I love you dearly still.
Try to look beyond earth’s shadow,
pray to trust our father’s will.
There is work still waiting for you,
so you must not idly stand.
When the work is all completed,
He will gently call you home.
Oh, the rapture of that meeting!
Oh, the joy to see you come!

As (her/his) spirit soars in flight
Here is a candle for you to light
And with the flicker of this flame
Say a prayer in (her/his) name

As we present our vows to one another
We know that you are in attendance
Smiling with great pride, strength, and happiness
You will forever be in our hearts
And as we express our vows to one another
And present our “I Do”
We share our day with you
As a dedication to you
“Mom/Dad”

In Loving Memory of
Our departed loved ones
In the Lord’s keeping

In Loving Memory of
Our departed loved ones
Gone before us
Now in the Lord’s keeping

In Loving Memory
of
the departed members
of the
~
Brides ‘last name’
and
Grooms ‘last name’
~
families
gone before us
now in the Lord’s keeping

Remembrance

You can shed tears that she/he is gone,
or you can smile because she/he has lived.
You can close your eyes
and pray that she’ll/he’ll come back,
or you can open your eyes
and see all she/he has left.
Your heart can be empty
because you can’t see her/him,
or you can be full of
the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow
and live yesterday, or you
can be happy for tomorrow
because of yesterday.
You can remember her/him
and only that she’s/he’s gone,
or you can cherish
her/his memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back,
or you can do what she’d/he’d want:

Smile, Open Your Eyes,
Love and Go on.

There Is A Special Angel

There is a special Angel in Heaven
that is part of me.
It is not where I wanted him
but where God wanted him to be.
He was here but just a moment
like a night time shooting star.
And though he is in Heaven
he isn’t very far.
He touched the heart of many
like only an Angel can do.
So I send this special message
to the Heaven up above.
Please take care of my Angel
and send him all my love.

They whom we love and lose
are no longer where they were before.
They are now wherever we are.

On our Wedding Day
we share our happiness
with those who live
in our hearts.

Much of who
we are today
is a reflection
of their love.

Walk me down the aisle Dad
You’re the only one who can
Over these scattered rose petals
To where I’ll take his hand

Walk me down the aisle Dad
And fill my heart with peace
Whisper that you’re proud of me
Set my soul at ease

Walk me down the aisle Dad
Though it seems I walk alone
I carry you inside my heart
Life lessons not outgrown

Walk me down the aisle Dad
And dry my endless tears
My life’s forever changing
I miss you more each passing year

If God would grant me just one wish
I’d wish for one more day
For you to walk me down the aisle, Daddy
And give your daughter away.

“Angel”

Tear drops, slow and steady, the pain so real and true,
God took another angel, and that angel, dear, was you.

Angel wings, upon the clouds, your body softly sleeps,
Hush now little princess, no more tears you have to weep.

Memories and little prayers, we all are mourning you,
But we’ll celebrate the short life you led; we will never forget you.

I know God will look after you, now you are truly alive,
Your spirit soars beyond the moon, your legacy will survive.

You’re beautiful, you’re endless, now stretch your wings and fly,
We love you so, I love you so, but now we say goodbye.

Close your pretty eyes, no more tears, just go and rest,
Let your soul lie peacefully, we know you did your best.

It was your time, so as we cry, go forward that extra mile,
You did what you were sent to do, you made everybody smile.

We thought of you today
But that is nothing new
We thought of you yesterday
And will tomorrow too
We think of you in silence
And make no outward show
For what it meant to lose you
Only those who love you know
Remembering you is easy
We do it everyday
Its the heartache of losing you
That will never go away

We wish that they could be with us
This very special day
Cause they were like a rush of sun
Before they went away

We lit this candle so that we
Might bring them here awhile
As we remember their bright flame
Their laughter and their smiles

We wish that they could share with us
The happiness we feel
Cause knowing that they knew our joy
Would make it all more real

But even though they are not with us
Their presence is still strong
Cause in their heart we’ll always find
The love for which we long

God gives us each a gift of life
To cherish from our birth
He gives us friends and those we love
To share our days on Earth.
He watches us with loving care
And takes us by the hand.
He blesses us with countless joys
And guides the lives we’ve planned.
Then, when our work on Earth is done,
He calls us to His side,
To live with Him in happiness
Where peace and love abide.

You are not forgotten
Nor will you ever be
No one can fill your vacant place
Looking back with memories
Upon the path you trod
We bless the time we had with you
And leave the rest to God

Sorry I didn’t get to stay,
To laugh and let you watch me play.
I know you need me by your side,
I’m sorry that I had to die.
I’m gone but please look up and see,
There’s a beautiful God right next to me.
God didn’t take me because he was mad,
God didn’t take me to make you sad.
But to give us both a chance to be,
A love so precious, can’t you see?
Up here no trouble do I see,
And pretty Angels sing to me.
The streets of gold where I play,
You’ll come to be with me some day.
Until the day you join me here,
I’ll love you deeply and I’ll be near.
Each breeze you feel and stars you see,
Brings love and kisses just from me.

Angels Never Die

Don’t let them say that we weren’t born,
That something stopped your heart
We felt each tender squeeze you gave,
We’ve loved you from the start.

Although our bodies you can’t hold,
It doesn’t mean we’re gone
This world was worthy, not of us,
God chose that we move on.

We know the pain that drowns your soul,
What you are forced to face
You have our word, we’ll fill your arms,
Someday we will embrace.

You’ll hear that it was meant to be,
God doesn’t make mistakes
But that won’t soften your worst blow,
Or make you heart not ache.

There will come a time, we promise you,
When you will hold our hands,
Stroke our faces and kiss our lips,
And then you’ll understand.

Although we’ve never breathed your air,
Or gazed into your eyes
That doesn’t mean you never were,
Angels never die.

When tomorrow starts without me and I’m not here to see…
If the sun should rise and find your eyes filled with tears.

I wish so much you wouldn’t cry the way you did today…
While thinking of the many things we didn’t get to say.

I know how much you love me, as much as I love you…
And each time that you think of me, I know you’ll miss me, too.

But when tomorrow starts without me, please try and understand…
That Jesus came and called my name and took me by the hand.

He said my place was ready, in Heaven far above…
And that I have to leave behind all those I dearly love.

So when tomorrow starts without me, don’t think we’re far apart…
For every time you think of me I’m right here in your heart.

I wished you were here to give me away
For you to guide me on my day

I feel ever so lost without you around
I hope today I’ve made you proud

It’s ( Groom’s first name ) role now to look after me
In order that at rest you may be

There’s always a place for you in my heart
That way we’ll never really be apart

So it’s time for me to go my new way
And say; “Dad, I love you, every day”

Life is not a journey to the grave
with the intention of arriving safely,
in a pretty well preserved body,
with pockets full of money.
But rather to skid in sideways,
totally used up, totally worn out,
totally spent, loudly screaming…..…
WOW, what a ride

Fill not your heart with pain and sorrow
But remember me in every tomorrow
Remember the joy, the laughter, the smiles
I’ve only gone to rest awhile

Although my leaving causes pain and grief
My going has eased my hurt and given me relief
So dry your eyes and remember me
Not as I am now, but as I used to be

Because I will remember you all
And look on with a smile
Understand in your hearts
I’ve gone to rest a little while

Funeral Poems by Edna Tucker

These Funeral Poems were written back during WWII by my grandmother. They were published in a small hometown newspaper in Oklahoma.

SWEET MEMORIES OF MY CHILDREN

I often thought when they were small

And marked crisscrosses on the wall,

That childless couples had the breaks.

I realize now, ’twas my mistake.

I often thought on baking day,

When they were always in the way,

That it would be, oh well, just fine

To have my kitchen cleared, one time.

I longed for solitude, it seemed,

Some leisure time to sit and dream.

But, as they leave the old home nest,

I’m being subjected to the test.

I find that youngster’s noisy ways,

Are better far than lonely days.

Today, my house is orderly,

But yet somehow, it don’t suit me.

I have a lot of leisure time,

But, they keep straying through my mind.

My daydreams are of by-gone years,

I salt my baking with my tears.

I don’t believe I’d mind at all,

To see cross marks on the wall.

To once more hear, ‘twould be so grand,

“Please mommy, may I lick the pan?”

A TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER

Within the temple of my heart, there is a lovely pictured face

So deeply etched by memory’s pen that time and tide cannot erase

This face I see within my dreams,

Her soft brown eyes, her smile so dear

When in the arms of sleep,

I drift back to my happy childhood years.

I hear her read the Word of God,

I kneel beside my little bed,

I feel her blessing as she lays her gentle hand upon my head.

I was so young when she went home,

I we wondered why she had to go.

How death could strike our little home,

And take the one we needed so.

But yet, I would not now recall her,

Back to earth, she is at rest.

And some sweet day we’ll understand,

Just why God’s way is best.

But as the months and years roll on,

Within my heart her memory glows.

And in that home of peace and love,

I feel my mother sees and knows.

IN MEMORY

Written in memory of our dearly beloved father and grandfather, Robert Milton Brown

Whom God called home August 31, 1943

He’s gone. The sunlight doesn’t seem so, bright today.

A haunting sadness lingers in the air.

The old armchair is vacant,

The voice we loved is stilled.

For God has called our loved one over there.

Yet, we cannot help but listen,

For his foot fall on the walk.

And for the gentle tap, tap of his cane.

For it seems his spirit lingers

Around the old home place.

Altho’ we’ll never see him here again.

His last few, days on earth, he prayed so hard to die,

His shrunken body was so wracked with pain.

But, now bathed in the fountain

Of the crystal stream of life,

His body will grow strong and young again.

Just why this life must hold so much

Of heartbreak and of tears,

Is something that we cannot understand.

But, Jesus will reveal it. all to us some happy day,

When we are gathered there at God’s right hand.

We don’t know why we grieve

Because God called his spirit home,

And we were forced to lay him in the tomb.

He has only crossed the valley

That we all must cross someday.

To a paradise where fragrant flowers bloom.

We know that heaven now retains the treasures that it gave,

That earth the lonely casket only keeps.

And we feel the golden sunbeams love to linger round

‘The sacred place where dear old daddy sleeps.

The star of life has sunk from sight

For just a little while.

To rise again upon that blissful shore

Where like a precious jewel

In the crown of life he’s won

T’will shine amid the saints forever more.