I saw on the news yesterday that Joan Rivers died. I don't know much about this woman except that she is a celebrity and was supposedly funny. While I am certain her family and friends are grieving her loss, I find it interesting what has been quoted of her in regards to her funeral plans. Apparently in a recent book of hers, she stated her elaborate desires. Ms. Rivers wanted her funeral to be the “go to” event with lights, cameras, and the paparazzi. Everybody who is somebody in Hollywood would want to be there. Now I have no idea if this will be how her funeral turns out, but with the publicity she has had this week since her passing I would not be surprised.
I attended the funeral of another Joan this week. The plans she came up with for her memorial were quite different than that of Ms. Rivers. She wanted a small, simple funeral with not a lot of fuss. My Joan wanted the funeral service to honor the King of heaven and earth not her. Her desire was that Christ the Savior of sinners would be exalted not her. Family, friends, and acquaintances knew where Joan’s hope was and where her home is. While my family is sad from the loss of this dear saint, we rejoice that she is in the presence of the One who made her acceptable to God. The disease that caused her death was just the means that the Lord used to bring her home, and she knew that. My conversations with my grandmother the past month were encouraging and spoke of the great testimony of God’s redeeming work. She had no fear in death. Her last words to me as I sat weeping by her side were “This is not the end, but the beginning of something much better.” Praise the Lord!
In regards to her funeral, there were no lights, cameras, or paparazzi. What I witnessed though were sincere people that had been affected by her life on this earth. The funeral home director had our family wait outside the chapel while folks were being seated. When time came for the service to start, we were escorted into the chapel. All seats were taken. Chairs had to be brought in from other locations in the building. People were standing in the back and along the wall. I am certain the fire marshall would not have been pleased. Our family barely had a place to sit. Was it because this was the “go to” event of the year? No. These dear, simple people came to celebrate the life of Joan who loved her Savior and declared that to all she knew.
