Amazing week-part 1

Krystal's death, along with other planned events, has made this a full, but blessed week so far, hence the "part 1". This is a bit of a hodgepodge. I hope you don't mind.

My husband surprised me with a fun evening out with friends on Monday night for my birthday. Yesterday, some other friends came and made flatbread and lefse. We had been trying to get together for weeks, so I wasn't going to cancel again! It was wonderful. We are planning a birthday party for our daughter for tomorrow night, friends and all. And preparations for Krystal's funeral continue. Japheth's blog has the funeral information, pictures, etc.

How do I describe the preparations for a funeral that seems so different from all that I am familiar with? For our small congregation, it has seemed to be a monumental task at times, but the drawing together of our members, friends of the family from the community, and fellow churches in the area, has been awe-inspiring. I have attended, and even participated in, a few funerals in my life, including my grandpa's. They have all been very honoring to the one that passed away, done in excellent taste, and in a way that fit the family and circumstances at the time. So why does planning for this funeral seem so different?

The Sunday night service was devoted to dividing out tasks and organizing responsibilities. On Monday morning, one of Krystal's sister-in-laws emailed some families from church and included in her note a prayer for this week that children would be peaceful, sleep would be multiplied...check-out lines would be short...and that God would lift our hands and hearts. Later on Monday, I was ushered into an empty check-out line at Walmart.

Yesterday, I filled the freezer with prepared food, ready for the weekend. I was blessed that my children were so helpful- stirring, pouring, and getting items out of the refrigerator.

Some of the men hand-dug the grave yesterday. It's ready for the burial on Saturday.

Everyone that is able is opening their homes to never-met-before weary, grief-stricken travelers.. feeding them, sharing with them, crying with them...building friendships that may not have happened otherwise.

Someone from the church built the plain, wooden casket and someone else is making the box to put it in. (Some things are allowable in rural areas that aren't in other places.)

Another person donated his time and plane to fly the family from Pennsylvania to Minnesota.

So many are donating food and time for the day of the funeral. Of course this is the one thing that I am familiar with. The difference this time is the number of people that we are planning for. How many 18-quart roasters of food do you think it takes to feed 500 people? Please pray that we figured right...or that God will multiply it like the loaves and fishes.

Preparation of the body is the only thing that I know of that is being hired. Everyone is pulling together, doing whatever they can with their abilities and talents, giving of their heart, spending time on their knees...supporting Krystal's family. It is something that I will never forget...and it seems the perfect way to honor Krystal.