Shirley Haskins Funeral

Welcome

Welcome family and friends. Thank you for being here with us this morning. We come together today in both a time of mourning and in a time of celebration.

(Beat)

We come to love and comfort and encourage one another in our sadness at the loss of someone dear to us. But—more importantly—we come together to remember and celebrate the life of Shirley Haskins.

Obituary

Shirley Arlette Haskins was born on June 29, 1936, in Winnebago, Nebraska, to Douglas and Ethel Wilcox. She graduated from Winnebago High School and, in 1954, met the love of her life, Donald. Shirley and Don Haskins were married on January 21, 1955, in Sioux City.

Shirley found joy in the simple and meaningful things in life. She loved gardening and took great pride in the beautiful flower garden and pond she created at her home. Summers were filled with laughter and memories around her swimming pool, which brought years of enjoyment to family and friends. She also had a special love for animals of all kinds, often taking them in and making sure they were fed and cared for.

Family meant everything to Shirley. She treasured time spent together traveling, going on cruises, camping, and making lifelong memories along the way. She also enjoyed being with friends, playing cards and games like Hearts, Spades, Dominoes, and Wahoo.

A devoted woman of faith, Shirley was a member of Southern Hills Baptist Church and carried a deep love for God throughout her life.

Those left to honor her memory include her five daughters: Lori, Doneen, Pamela, Aundrea, and Christine; 14 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Don; and her son, Steve.

Introduction

I was fortunate to get to know Shirley over the last couple of years as her pastor. Unfortunately, much of the time that we spent together was in the hospital. She never wanted me to come at visit her at home and see the house messy, but she couldn’t refuse me in her hospital room.

In those times, I learned of her heart for God and for her family. She was saddened that she could no longer read her bible, and so she looked forward to our conversations about God and the things going on with her church family. I tried to help her feel connected, and several of our members would go to visit her. I even tried to teach her how to have her phone read scripture to her, but she had trouble figuring out her smart phone and she could never press the buttons quite right.

She was upset that she missed all of the sun and the warmth of this past Summer, being relegated to watching it from her hospital room window. She often spoke of her yard and her garden and her cat, all of which were enjoying the sunny days without her. She longed to be outside and feel the warmth of the sun.

But Shirley doesn’t miss the sun anymore. She now stands in the glow and the warmth of her Savior, finally free from an ailing body of weakness. She has no problem with walking or hearing or grasping things anymore. Shirley now gets to walk and talk with her loving God—the One who has carried her through all her years of trial and heartache.

Through times of poverty and of blessings; through the loss of her husband and in caring for Steve, even when it made her own life more difficult. Shirley was a mother through and through. She loved her family and she tried to love them well—as well as she knew how.

And so it is that we come to this time of celebration, where we remember her life and praise the One who has redeemed her. I invite you to stand with me as I read our call to worship.

[SLIDE X3]

Call to Worship

Matthew 11:25–30 ESV

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. (/) All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (/) Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Please continue standing with me as we sing.

Opening Hymn (It Is Well With My Soul)

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-15- Pastor Atreju

Hymn #2 (Amazing Grace)

Prayer for comfort

Sermonette

Life can sometimes be difficult for us to endure. There are times in life where we feel strong and weathered. And then there are those times where we feel weak and broken. This is all part of the human experience. Each of us encounter these life-defining moments, whether for good or for bad.

Israel’s King David knew the pain of life well. There were times where he must have felt on top of the world—the mighty King of God’s chosen nation bringing His people to unity to stand out among the nations as a holy people. But there were also many times that he fell on his knees in the midst of his brokenness and pain.

The thing about David was, that even at his lowest—even at the peak of his sinfulness, even in the moments when life seemed more than he could bear—he was still loyal to God. Over his many years, he had learned to trust the One who had called him to lead the people of Israel. There was nothing special about David. He was young and immature, small and uneducated. But God saw a heart that was true and held allegiance to Him alone.

God put His Spirit on David and blessed him—not because David was perfect (he was far from it), or even because he was good—but simply because God loved him. And in turn, David learned to trust the God who never failed to provide for and protect him. God was his shelter, his comfort, his peace in the storms of life that came. Reflecting on those stormy times of his life, even in the midst of chaos, he understood that God was always there—that He had never left him.

We are going to look at Psalm 23 this morning. There are bibles in the pew backs in front of you if you would like to follow along. But the words will also be on the screen. David writes:

[PASSAGE SLIDE x3]

Read Psalm 23

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (/) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (/) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

David knew that God had guided him in his path and provided for his every need. He could rest even in the midst of hardship because God was restoring his soul.

[PASSAGE SLIDE]

This word that David used here for “soul” is the life-force of a human being. In Genesis Chapter 2, God breathed life into Adam and he became a living “soul.” David understood that the Creator God who breathed life into Adam would also continue to breathe that same life into him even during his difficult days.

Notice that David says that God leads him beside still waters. In the ancient world, the waters of oceans and rivers represented chaos. Here, David is proclaiming that God is the One who can conquer that chaos—that, even when the storms of life come, God can calm the waters that surround us.

David continues by saying, “He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”

Why does God restore David? He doesn’t do it because David deserves it. If anything, David deserves judgment for his many sins. Instead, He does it because He loves David. He teaches him wisdom and holiness so that His Own Name will be praised.

[PASSAGE SLIDE]

Because David knows who God is, he no longer fears evil nor death. God has promised to walk with His children through their pain and their trouble. David says that God walks with his rod and his staff. The staff is a tool of the shepherd. It is used to guide and direct the sheep. It is essential to the shepherd.

But, why does He also carry a rod? While we could mistake this for another staff, the rod was used, instead, to discipline and to protect the flock. David envisions God as this kind of shepherd—One who is a loving father and a mighty protector.

But the word for rod in Hebrew can also refer to the scepter of a King. God is surely the Good Shepherd, but David is also declaring here that His God is the King of all creation, and that it is only by God’s sovereignty over all things that he is able to find rest.

[PASSAGE SLIDE]

As David closes this psalm, he says that he envisions God hosting him at a banquet. There, he is seated across from his enemies and God refreshes him by anointing him with oil. These enemies stand ready to attack him and yet they are held back by the mighty hand of God. David is resting even in the midst of turmoil because God offers him solace.

God has anointed David as his child and fills his heart, or his cup, not with judgment, but with goodness and mercy. The Creator God continues to prove that He cares for and protects his children. And because of that, David will continue to sing of His goodness as he dwells in the house of the Lord forever.

Gospel

Many centuries after David, God would send His Son Jesus to come and call all of humanity back into a relationship with Him. They had wandered away like Lost sheep. And Jesus embodied the shepherd that David saw in Psalm 23. In fact, He claimed to be the Good Shepherd. Let’s look at what He says in John 10:

[SCRIPTURE SLIDE x7]

John 10:1–18 ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (/) When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. (/) So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (/) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (/) He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, (/) just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. (/) No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Jesus did exactly that. The Good Shepherd laid down His life to save ours. In His death on the cross, He conquered sin. In His resurrection, He conquered death. And now, the Good Shepherd offers forgiveness and life to all people.

He can give you rest near still waters.

He can calm the chaos in your life.

You can have peace as you lie in the green pasture.

Jesus doesn’t promise that your life will be easy; He just promises that He will be the Good Shepherd who walks with you through the hard times. He will guide you and protect you.

If you bow to Him as king and give your life to follow Him, God will adopt you as His son or daughter and He will anoint you with oil at the banquet for His Son. King Jesus beckons you to come and dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

(Beat)

So, here is the question this morning: who is your Shepherd? Who is your King? Shirley knew Jesus as her Shepherd and King. If you don’t know Him—if you haven’t believed in Him as Savior and chosen to follow Him as your Lord—I would love to speak with you more after the service.

CLOSING PRAYER OF COMFORT

Please stand with me once more as we sing.

CLOSING HYMN (How Great Thou Art)

On behalf of Shirley’s family, I want to thank you for being with us today as we remember her. In just a moment, I will close us in prayer. The family would like to invite you to join us for a short graveside service at Graceland Park Cemetery. After that, we will meet back here for a time of lunch in the gym.

If you choose not to join us in at the cemetery, feel free to stay and fellowship here in the lobby or the gym. There is coffee available if you would like it. We will be back shortly.

In just a moment, the family will be dismissed first and then everyone else can follow. The procession will be moving a few minutes after we dismiss.

CLOSING PRAYER