Uncle Charlie's Celebration of life.

We are here to celebrate Uncle Charlie’s life. Getting with the family they were filled with many fun memories of him. Some of them we cannot repeat in a public setting.

Though I didn’t really know Charlie personally. I met him at Hailey’s baptism. I know he was happy Hailey has Jesus. He told her before his passing, he was glad she had Jesus because Jesus would always be with her. And never leave her. We prayed for him often. In fact if you are Hailey’s family or friend, we have been praying for you. Hailey makes sure of that.

An early memory of him as a child revealed how much he liked to hunt. The incident in mind was when he wore His overalls on backwards. trying to catch a rabbit. Thinking the rabbit would be fooled by the visual.

People who knew Charlie would say he was rough around the edges but he had a soft center.

Some of his quirky comments. he would say, to a family member , “ you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up to much space.”

I know if he was here he would say “Stop crying blank.” Of course it’s ok to feel sad. Mourning is a necessary and healthy thing. If we didn’t mourn, we wouldn’t know the comfort of the Lord. It’s in our deepest losses that our faith grows the most. The shortest verse in the Bible, John 11:35

John 11:35 ESV

Jesus wept.

At the tomb of Lazarus Jesus was angry. Angry at death and the pain it would cause. He would say as the solution “I AM the Resurrection and the life.” It is said when he raised Lazarus from the dead, he called him by name, “Lazarus come forth!” if he would have said “come forth!” They all would have came out of the tomb.

Uncle Charlie did everything whole hearted. He rode his Harley Davidson up to Sturgis a lot. He loved to play the harmonica. He was a good dog trainer. He always has a good dog by his side.

Uncle Charlie could fix anything. He was an excellent carpenter. He was the resident Caregiver. He took care of everyone. He had a caregivers heart. He took good care of Hailey. He was Yogi and you Boo Boo.

He was a really good cook and he was a good Dad. He will be missed.

Facing death is the biggest problem. Our biggest Enemy. It is the one that seems so final and done. We need to look at the tomb and see that its Empty. Christ has risen.

2 Timothy 1:10 ESV

and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

We don’t know our last moment on earth. None of us know the day or the hour of our last day on earth. We feel like Uncle Charlie left before his time. But we don’t get to choose when we leave. that’s Gods business.

Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Psalm 139:16 ESV

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me,when as yet there was none of them.

Lord we pray that you would bring peace and comfort to our hearts. We ask that you would help us with the gap that has been left. We trust you, with this loss we ask for your help. strengthen us . Be With us in this time of sorrow. Carry us we pray. Amen