Eulogy of Margaret Ann Baldwin

Good afternoon, family and friends. We have gathered here today to celebrate the life of Margaret Ann Baldwin, (Auntie), who was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, wife, auntie, and friend. Though today is filled with sorrow, it is also a time to give thanks—to God and to Auntie for the beautiful life she lived and the many blessings she shared with us.

I want to share a few words from a passage we are familiar with

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil. 4:6

I’m reading from the NIV version and it gives us the correct context of what the apostle Paul is conveying to the church in Phillipi. With the word “Thanksgiving”

There is a song that we sing in the church called thank you lord, and as I recalled this song the spirit helped me to recall how thankful I was for her to have 81 years, I was thankful for her to be married to my uncle for 60 years, I was thankful for my cousins and I also tried to remember and but I can’t remember her whooping me so I’m thankful for that. and last but not least I was thankful that Christ became the Lord in her life. When she left here she was in peace. You and I have so much to be thankful for when pertains to my Auntie.

The word “thanks” in one form or another is found some 140 times in the Bible.

David probably used it more times than any other Bible character. Paul, who lived continually in the spirit of thanksgiving, runs him a close second, for praise was as natural to him as breathing.

Paul was ever on the lookout to find some cause for gratitude. He sang in prison, his feet in the stocks, his wrists in chains. He sang in the storm, when the fierce Euroclydon tossed the little ship on mountainous waves and every shipwreck moment threatened disaster. When criticism and contempt were heaped upon him, and the cold shoulder was offered to his loving approaches, the spirit of praise and rejoicing never left him.

And Paul exhorted the churches not merely to give thanks sometimes but at all times—and for all things.

Daniel, whose life was threatened, “prayed and gave thanks before his God.”

Jonah, being chastened of the Lord, voiced his thanks: “I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving.”

The Story of the Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19): In this story, Jesus encounters ten lepers who beg him for mercy and healing. After Jesus heals them, only one of them comes back to express thankfulness. This story teaches children the importance of showing gratitude and appreciating the kindness of others.

And Christ is the personification of praise and thanks. He gave thanks for the bread and cup used in the Lord’s Supper. On another occasion in Matthew 11:25, He prayed, “I thank thee, O Father … because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus prayed, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.” When Jesus took the five barley loaves and two fishes from the little boy in order to feed the multitude, He first gave thanks.

So giving thanks is not only taught by precept but also taught many times by the matchless example of Jesus. so I know your saying where are you going with this?

We, too, must learn to give “thanks always for all things.…” For accelerating inflation? for physical ills? for lack of a job? for an automobile accident? Apparently, for in requesting help out of our troubles, we are to let our requests, by prayer and supplication, be made known unto God WITH THANKSGIVING. Church I want us to be in the mood always of thanksgivings. From the graveside to the gym from the valley to the peak. let our prayers and supplication be known with thanksgiving.

As humans we are not thankful by nature.Gratitude is not a part of our nature. Let me illustrate. Anything you have to be taught to do is not a part of your nature; and anything you do without being taught is a part of your nature.

For instance, it is a duck’s nature to swim. When you throw him into the water, he swims automatically. He doesn’t have to have a swimming lesson. But it is not a cat’s nature to swim. If you throw him in the water, he will drown. It is not a baby’s nature to swim. If you throw an infant in the water, he will drown. But an infant can be taught to swim, though it is not a part of his nature. Anything you have to be taught to do is not a part of your nature.

Things that come naturally are a part of your nature. That is why we say that by nature man is a sinner. He doesn’t have to be taught to sin. Sin comes naturally. So the natural thing for us as humans is to be ungrateful, but it is the unnatural thing to be grateful. That’s why its hard to say I’m sorry, why because No child was born with gratitude in their heart. Every child was born with their fists clenched as if to say “mine.” They have to be taught to say “thank you,” and sometimes it takes a lot of repetition to get the lesson over. you may have notice, I’ve only said my auntie’s full name once, because I was taught to respect my elders and address them with respect. it’s even weird saying her name, knowing that if my mother was around she would surely correct me.

Parents, remember when your child was small and you began trying to teach them gratitude? When someone gave them something, you would say, “Now, Donnell, what do you say?”

Donnell would drop his head. “M-m-m-m.…”

“Come on, Donnell. Now you know what to say.”

“M-m-m-m.…”

“ If you don’t say it, I’ll make you give it back.”

Reluctantly Donnell said, “Thank you.”

But there was no real gratitude. He just said it because you made him say it. He wasn’t born with gratitude. You have to repeat it over and over and over again until finally he learns to say, “Thank you.

A lady gave a little boy a piece of cake. He said, “Oh, thank you, ma’am.”

She replied, “1 like to hear little boys say, ‘Thank you.’ ”

Right away he said, “If you’ll put some ice cream on top, I’ll say it again.”

Some may say it for its reward, but it’s not a part of our nature to be thankful.

So how can man have a Thankful Heart?

A man can never be genuinely thankful until he recognizes where the things he possesses came from. You don’t thank someone for something unless you know they are responsible for you having it.

James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, Coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” When you realize that everything you have comes from God, then you should feel real gratitude in your heart.

Once we realized that Aunt Margaret was a gift from God, we gave thanks, we approached this homegoing with thanksgiving, knowing it was nobody but God and we Thank Him. The guilt, blame, and hatred, are because we have not made thankfulness a natural thing in our lives. You woke, thank Him, You got dressed Thank Him, you heard the birds and saw the street signs thank him. You made it to this place thank Him. He gave us the gift of auntie for 81 years you better say thank you. I Thes.5:18 says in all circumstances give thanks. We are Dead in our sins and transgression and yet He made us alive.

in verse 4 Paul says Rejoice and again I say rejoice. Rejoice and let your praises be known unto Him.

Heavenly Father,

On this day of thanksgiving, we gather in both gratitude and grief. We give thanks for Margaret Ann Baldwin's life, whose presence was a gift to each of us. As we remember her laughter, love, and the moments that brought us joy, we are reminded of her blessings in our lives.

Amid our sorrow, we turn to You for comfort and strength. We trust in Your promise that those who mourn shall be comforted. Wrap us in Your peace that surpasses all understanding, and grant us the grace to hold fast to the cherished memories that will forever bind us to Aunt Margaret.

Today, we thank You for the time we shared and the love that will continue to live on in our hearts. May her spirit find eternal rest, and may we, who remain, carry her legacy with honor. We ask this is your blessed Son’s name

Amen.