On Being Dead

I am struggling here. I am trying to understand the REAL purpose of funerals and my part in those funerals.

What I envision when I die is being in heaven. I could care less about my funeral. I will celebrate my life as I am living it. After I die, my life will not be made any more memorable by oration but I will be remembered by the ways I have affected the people I have touched. Ways they may not even know about.

I do understand that funerals are not for the dead but for the living....hmmmm... let me sort this out. Personally I think the REAL "reasons" for funerals are to make funeral directors rich. It is big business.

Let me recover here a bit. If someone dies young or suddenly, I realize the family may need a "confirmation of death", a time of support, a time of gathering. Or if they died heroically people should be made aware, however not necessarily by a funeral, as would be true if they have died in service to others.

What I am talking about is funerals for the great multitude that grow old and die as a natural part of living. Today I am closer to my "death day" than I was yesterday. Some people are gracious enough to take years to die. Their family is well prepared and may even be grateful at the passing of some folks. For many death is a wonderful release from a crippled or ailing body.

What would I want for "my funeral"??...I have trouble with this because it is impossible for me to "have" a funeral. When I am dead, I will not be at my funeral.

Okay, so, let me plan my body's funeral.
1. A plain box please... the most environmentally efficient whatever that is.

2. I prefer being "prepared" in the most environmentally friendly manner. No makeup, no false stuff...I really don't care if my body rots. It is a natural process created by God for environmentally sound purposes. I doubt if that is legal to do in town?? Whatever is minimal.

3. Just take me from the morgue to the cemetery...no "formal gathering". At the grave site, someone can pray that I do not irritate God asking too many questions. Thank Him for accepting me into His fold. If it is honest, thank Him for knowing me. Do not lie in prayer. I do not want people to sit around listening to selected folks talk formally about me. If you know me well enough to care that I died, then you know all that stuff anyway. FYI, I am appalled by open caskets. I certainly do not want people staring at me when I am dead...get a life. I would much rather people see me with their mind's eye the way they last remember me. I do not want people to travel from afar and create expenses. If you want to spend a bunch of money seeing me, do it while I am living, not after I have died. If people want to get together and "remember me" do it informally somewhere where everyone can get a chance to speak AND LISTEN. Have a dinner party if you must but I would have just had snacks. Or preferably if weather permits have a picnic at a nice park. Have s'mores and good bottled water. Take a walk together and see the things God created that I always have loved, like trees, birds, blue skies and clouds. Remember them, they need caring for after I die, I won't. I will be in good hands.

4. Speaking of trees and birds, at one time I thought cemeteries were a waste of land, until I realized that they are actually nice green spaces. They are a little manufactured but still most have some trees, squirrels, possums, etc. They are nice places to take kids bike riding. They are quiet places where you can walk and contemplate life and death. A person's imagination can be inspired. I would prefer my body's resting place be a beautiful cemetery with lots of trees. So animals and people can enjoy the space. Bury me in the town where I died. Do NOT waste resources and money transporting my dead body. Just pick the closest cemetery with the most trees.

5. Tomb stone... Maybe something like "My word to you is to glorify God"