Shirley Anders Funeral - 6/30/20

Funeral for Shirley Anders We gather today to remember and celebrate the life of Shirley Kay Anders. We also come together to comfort one another in this time of loss. Our greatest comfort comes from the Lord. In Psalm 91 we read, Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. in the New Testament it was Jesus who said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. (John 11:25-26). God's promise and His character are our strength and comfort. Let's turn to God in prayer. Lord, we come to You this morning seeking your assurance once again of life beyond the grave. Infuse us with confidence and hope regarding eternity. Help us also to remember the treasure that you gave us in Shirley. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus. Shirley Kay Anders was born on December 30, 1948 in Burlington, Iowa. She was the daughter of Herb and Ella May (Luth) Schwenker. She was diagnosed with diabetes at 15 years old. She battled the disease throughout her life. Her Doctor was quite proud of the effectiveness of the plan she was on. Like most teenagers of the time they went to the "strip" which was Jefferson Avenue. People from all over would come and bomb the strip. It was there that Shirley met Jerry Anders. They dated for about a year and then they were married on January 11, 1969. In March Jerry was drafted for Viet Nam. During this time Shirley went to Yuma Arizona to live with family. Shirley worked for many years at the Burlington Glass Company. She had a serious car accident in her travels to and from work. After that, she chose to work from home. Shirley was always a quiet person. That doesn't mean she wasn't friendly because I always saw her as friendly. She had a smile that revealed a kind heart inside of her. She loved watching children. She was by no means a strict disciplinarian. Her heart was too soft for that. As a result, the kids often got into lots of different things. Jaden got into the lipstick and after she had put lipstick all over her face. She came to Shirley and wanted to know if she was beautiful. Most childcare workers would have quickly cleaned Jaden up. Shirley cleaned her up, but not until she got a picture first! Shirley did not get riled up very often . . . Although, I am told when she was mad, you knew it. Shirley believed in a clean house, and clean clothes. She never needed to have a lot of stuff. However, she was going to take care of what she had. Shirley liked to laugh at her jokes and she was always ready to let the kids use their imagination to play. Shirley liked to bake with the kids. She went to games, liked to watch movies and for some reason always loved the pumpkin patch and was a huge fan of the Kettle Corn Everyone loved Shirley's desserts. I understand her chocolate cake with cool whip/pudding icing was a favorite Shirley loved kids. It didn't matter whether they were her children or grandchildren. She was going to love them, support them and have fun with them. She was most comfortable with children. She seemed to me, to be a lot less comfortable around adults. As a neighbor, I knew Shirley likely would not initiate a conversation, but she was happy to stand and visit for a while. Shirley Anders did not need the spotlight . . . she would have hated the spotlight. She was content to pour her life into her family. She enjoyed watching them enjoy life. She was not one to hold a grudge, she forgave and moved on. Shirley died on Wednesday June 24th. She is survived by her husband, Jerry; two children, Ryanne Anders and Nicholas Anders, one step-daughter, KayDee (Jason) Nelson of Galesburg; four grandchildren: Cheyenne, Cierra, Chloe, and Drake. She is also survived by two sisters. * * * * * In John Jesus spoke to his disciples because they were troubled about talk of his approaching death. He said, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. When people die there are a lot of make believe notions of what happens. Lots of people believe everyone goes to Heaven. In other words, they believe the prerequisite to Heaven is just death. The Bible has a very different read on things. Jesus told us that only those who put their trust in Him and believed in Him as their rescuer and King would go to Heaven. It is not about how good or bad you are (or have been) it is about where you put your confidence and trust. For those who turn to Jesus, (those who believe His death was a payment for our sin), and then likewise following Him and the leader and ruler of their life, are assured life after death. A true follower of Christ FOLLOWS. Those who refuse to follow Christ are choosing to reject the only solution to their sin and therefore have no guarantee (or hope) of Heaven. So, not everyone goes to Heaven! Second, there are people who believe when we die, we become angels! I know this is not taught in the Bible. The only place this is taught regularly is every Christmas when people watch "It's a Wonderful Life." We all cheer for Clarence to get his wings.When we die we continue as human. Because of Jesus we become redeemed beings; Free from sin. Right with God. Freed from the pain and frustration of this world. Third, we will not sit on clouds and play a harp! There are very few people who would consider that to be heaven! Instead the Bible tells us God will eventually create a new Heaven and a new earth; free from the stain and pain of this world. We will engage in meaningful, enjoyable labor. The only person who has really been to Heaven and back is Jesus. The fact of His Resurrection underscores His credibility. God does not ask us to scuttle our rational thinking to believe. He tells us to USE our logic to see that Jesus really is the ONLY one worth following and trusting. The person who is willing to honestly examine the evidence will, I believe, conclude Jesus came back from the dead. This makes his testimony more credible than anyone who has merely had a "near death" experience. God wants you to come to Him. He has left clues everywhere in the hope you will see an believe. I say all of this to make a point. If Shirley trusted Christ as her Lord and Savior, she is much better off now than she was here. That is the promise of Jesus! This is where we find comfort today. This is what is called, "the hope of the gospel." It's not wishful thinking . . . it is the firm conviction that there is coming a day when we will see Him as He is and be transformed into the person God created us to be all along. We grieve for our loss. We should not grieve for Shirley's loss. She has lost NOTHING! For the time being we are without her . . . but there is coming a day when we will see her again if we too put our faith and trust in Jesus. So today is a day to look at our own lives. it is a day to ask, "Where do I stand with Jesus." What do you believe happens after you die? These are essential questions; ultimate questions. How you answer these questions will impact how you live your life. I hope you learn well what Shirley's life taught us. * Even though cleanliness may not be next to godliness, it is still pointing you in the right direction. * Setting a child free to imagine is one of the greatest gifts you can give to someone. This may result in lipstick all over or a mess int he kitchen . . . but it is well worth the price! * An early childhood chronic disease does not mean you can't live a full and productive life. * And . . . The best desserts are the ones that are made with love. Will you pray with me, Father, You have blessed us with the life of Shirley Anders. I know we likely took her for granted. Much like we do with You. Thank you for her faithfulness and for her heart filled with love for those around her. We ask that you wrap your arms around her and welcome her to the place you have prepared for her. Assist us in our grief. Help us to cling to You. Help us to do so not merely in the crisis of this moment. Help us instead to follow you and to trust you. Lord stoke the fire of hope that we have in you. Give us all a hunger for truth and then lead us to those places that will help us to see the truth clearly and with passion. We ask in Jesus name. Amen 1