A Place Prepared — Muriel Mitchell Celebration of Life

Opening Prayer

Friends and family, on behave of the Mitchell family I want to thank you for joining us today as we celebrate the life of Muriel. Would you please join me as we open in prayer.

Pray.

Obituary

Muriel Florence (née Morrison) Mitchell, 67, of Fredericksburg, went to be with the Lord on October 8, 2024. Muriel was born on October 14, 1956, to Doris and Cyrus Morrison in Fredericksburg. After Muriel graduated from James Monroe High School in 1975, she married the love of her life John E Mitchell. Muriel and John had two wonderful boys. They lived as a military family until they finally settled back in the Fredericksburg area in the early 1990s. While in the military, she met her best friend/sister Kathy Moody. Muriel worked off and on in childcare until she retired. Although she never really did retire she just became a caregiver to anyone who needed it. She made sure that no one went without. She was there for anyone who needed her, always offering herself up to help out. She was a true believer in her Lord and invited anyone to come to church with her. She wanted to share her joy for the lord and her church family. She especially loved to spend time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were her light and joy. Muriel was preceded in death by her mother Zola Doris Morrison and her father Cyrus Morrison. She is survived by her husband of 49 years John E. Mitchell; her sons, John Mitchell Jr., (Christine) and Andrew Mitchell; her precious grandsons, Dylan Major and his significant other Giovanna, Xavier Mitchell, Xander Mitchell and Rylan Mitchell; her sister, Kathy Moody; niece, Kandy Miller (Dave); granddaughters, Liz Drash, Alexandra Drash, her significant other, Tyler, Victoria Drash, and her significant other Matt; her great-grandchildren Parker, Paisley, Luke, Jasper, Atlas and Edwin.

Intro

In times of loss, our hearts are often weighed down with grief and uncertainty. Muriel was an amazing person who brought so much joy and happiness to people. She was a servant through and through, always placing other above herself.

Kids needed watching - kids needed taught - cleaning at the church - food to be picked up - or just someone to talk to.

There’s a story when Jesus and two of his followers, James and John, are walking on the road and they looked over to Jesus and they said Rabbi, how can we become great in your kingdom? We want to be at your right hand and the other on your left. How can we do that?

I think Jesus chuckles and thinks “they don’t get it yet.” Then he looks up a them and reminds them of the behavior of the Pharisees. They “lord over people.”

Mark 10:43–45 NIV

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I’ve heard it said…

“The value of the a life is how much of it you can give away”

By that measure the life that Muriel lived was immeasurably valuable.

Although we are sad, heartbroken and grieving we have hope. Hope that we will see her again, b/c she knew our Lord Jesus.

Scripture

In fact, the words of Jesus give us comfort in this moment. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says.

Matthew 5:4 NIV

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

He sits with us in the pain of loss and grief b/c it wasn’t supposed to be this way. Death was not part of the original design. That’s why it hurts so much. There is a sense in these words of Jesus that we are reminded we do not struggle alone. We have a promise here that we…

will be comforted // Parakaleō → draw close to.

There is a moment when Jesus is comforting his disciples, this is on the night of the Passover, the night he would be betrayed. He keeps saying that he is about to leave them and they are sad and concerned. He also knows that they’re together is drawing to a close.

Now you have to imagine they have become his best friends, they are all so close.

John 14:1–2 NIV

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

Remember the Temple held the presence of God. The Holy of Holies is where Heaven met Earth and God’s spirit would reside there. Is would have their places there, the Sanhedrin, even some Rabbi’s would have had space in the Temple.I

Remember the Temple held the presence of God. The Holy of Holies is where Heaven met Earth and God’s spirit would reside there. Now, I want you to notice something about that, the Temple was a large stone building with ton’s of rooms, it’s large enough for everyone.

John 14:2–3 NIV

My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Imagine this, Jesus says to them and he says to us that he has gone ahead of us to prepare a room in the Father’s House = Heaven.

Wow, just wow. The God of the universe has created a place for Muriel and she’s with him that place right now. Now based on the life that she lived I would imagine that place is large and full of all the Heavenly furnishings.

There is the comfort that you and I have if we follow Jesus, he is preparing a place for us. He prepared a place for Muriel.

a place of comfort

a place free from pain

a place close to the Father

a place of peace

her place of course has a garden

her place with her mom and dad

Application

Believe it or not, you can have a place like that also when you move from this side of glory. How do we get there?

John 14:4 NIV

You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Come on, he says, you know the way.

John 14:6–7 NIV

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

His point, Jesus is the only way to the Father. The only way to get to that place is through the Good News of Jesus. Now, let me pause for just one moment and ask…

Is Jesus preparing a place for you?

Have you accepted the gift that Jesus has presented to you? The gift of eternal life. Accepting the gift is easy, confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.

For those of you who would like to accept that gift I am going to give you a moment to accept. It’s not much just accepting the gift.

Imagine Christmas — just accept the gift.

Pray — Salvation.

Stories

Chris

Kim

Leah

Open floor

Closing Song - Go Rest High

Closing prayer

Follow on Instructions

Thank you for joining us this afternoon.

We are going to hold the internment at Sunset Memorial Gardens at 2pm. If you would like to join us you are more then welcome.

New Post Church, her church, is hosting the reception/repass at 3pm at the church. 1900 New Post Boulevard. Feel free to head over there if you do not wish to be part of the internment.

Internment

Muriel was a wonderful person and that is demonstrated by the life she lived. Let us pray.

Genesis 3:19 (NIV)

...for dust you are and to dust you will return.