Sermon Tone Analysis
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Norma Lou Cottrell
February 23, 1938 - March 17, 2019
Born in Calhoun County, WV
Resided in Belpre, OH
Obituary
Norma Lou Cottrell, 81, of Belpre died March 17, 2019 at the Camden Clark Medical Center.
Norma was born February 23, 1938, in Calhoun County, WV, and was the daughter of the late Paul and Thelma Slider.
Norma had worked 36 years as an Executive Secretary for Borg Warner.
She was an active member of Fairlawn Baptist Church where she was a greeter, organist and pianist.
She loved decorating and would decorate her home with twenty Christmas trees for the holiday tour.
Norma is survived by her husband of 43 years Bill Cottrell; daughter Lela Ronan of FL; granddaughters Morgan and Maggie Courter.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother Carroll Slider
Seven Exhortations for Finishing Well
Psalm 71:
I thought: I could speak of Norma and the spectacular truth that
she is more alive right now than we are;
she has no more pain or discomfort;
she has completely ceased to sin;
her attitude and her words and her deeds will henceforth be perfect;
and best of all, she no longer sees through a glass dimly, but face to face.
We could linger over all the good things that are true of Norma right now and forever.
And that would be good.
It be wonderful.
But it seemed to me that Norma might want me mainly to encourage and exhort and strengthen us for the aging and dying every one of us will have to do.
Get Ready to Meet Jesus
As I was thinking this past week with my young cousins, it takes enormous energy to raise kids.
So God has planned that children be born to parents that are young.
Old people would struggle if they had babies have babies.
Karmen and I have considered adoption but we are not as young as we once were.
To be a success as a parent, you need energy.
You need more.
But not less.
At the other end of life, when we are not bringing people into the world, but preparing to leave, energy is not the key to success.
The day will come when we may not even be able get out of bed.
And at that moment, you can be a success.
The key to getting old and dying well is God’s word and God’s grace.
So I would like to take the wisdom and grace of — the prayer of an aging man — and give it to you in seven exhortations.
And since I am more quickly than I care to admit, becoming one of these old men now, instead of saying you, I am going to say us.
And instead of saying, “You do . .
.”
I’m going to say, “Let’s do. .
.”
And in the process, I think we will be greatly encouraged about Jean.
We could call these seven resolutions from God’s word and God’s grace for aging and getting ready to meet Jesus.
Each of them is based on .
1) Let’s resolve to take refuge in God rather than taking offense at our troubles.
As makes plain, we have a refuge from every storm and every enemy.
And when we forget that we are safe in God, we start to take offense at our troubles.
I don’t want to get old complaining.
If Norma had a complaining side at all to her, which we all do, she’s done complaining now.
2) Let’s resolve to remember with a sense of awe and thanks the thousands of times we have leaned on God since our youth.
psalm
Psalm 71:
God’s grace is like a faucet of water that flows out of the future of God’s promises every day of our lives.
It does not stop flowing.
Instead it spills over the edge of the glass and floods the present moment with the presence and power of God’s grace.
And as we look back, we should be filled with thankfulness.
And as we look forward, that thankfulness should turn in to hope.
3) Let’s resolve to speak to God more and more about all his greatness, until there is no room left in our mouths for complaining.
The longer we live, the more we should praise.
Isn’t that amazing?
We are so prone to think of our waning powers and be discouraged.
But for God’s children, the day is getting brighter and brighter.
Norma is in paradise right now.
If we could only keep this before us, we would praise him more and more.
4) Let us resolve to be people of a rugged, undefeatable hope and not give in to despair, even in the nursing home or hospital, and even if we outlive all our friends.
This will be a great battle.
It was for Norma.
It will be for us.
We will get to the point where we feel useless and too weak to do any good.
And the temptation to despair will be huge.
But this old man said, “I will hope continually.”
And Peter said,
Jesus said, Always pray and do not lose heart (see ).
And Paul knew exactly what the danger of aging is:
2 Corinthians
5) Let us resolve to go out of our way to find people to tell about God’s wonderful acts of salvation, that never run out, because they are innumerable.
Nothing is more energizing than speaking of God’s wonders to someone else.
6) Let us resolve to remember that there are great things about God above our imagination, and soon enough, like Norma, we will know these too.
There will always be things that are over our heads.
We are not God.
So let’s let God be God and wait patiently for the day when we will know even as we are known.
7) Finally, let’s resolve to resist all stuffy stereotypes of old people, and play and sing and shout with joy whether we look dignified or not.
Let’s not take life so serious that we miss the joy of the Lord!
There won’t be any phoniness in heaven.
There will only be complete authenticity.
We will discover what childlikeness was really meant to be.
We will be free.
For freedom Christ has set you free.
Let’s do this.
Don’t lose heart.
We don’t face this life or death alone.
1) MY shepherd
2) He RESTORES my soul---From a state of emptiness to a state of fullness.
Our trials empty us emotionally.
We are numb and empty with a pain that penetrates this flesh and strikes to the depth of our soul.
We have the opportunity as children of God to go to Him and find restoration:
1.
That comes through communication and relationship with God.
2. That comes through working through the grief process.
We don’t face this life or death without promises.
Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.
Phil
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