In loving memory of Maelee Linn Kasowski

We are back from Maelee's memorial service. I know so many of you wanted to be there, but we had to keep it really small. So, to give everyone a picture of what took place, here's a summary:

We were planning on greeting people before, but that was too tough. So we just went straight into the service. We had to sit in the car a little bit before to compose ourselves, but composure just goes out the window in situations like this.

Opening Comments and Prayer - Jason Williams
Jason (our pastor) prayed to open things up and made a few comments, which I can post later.

Scripture Reading -- Job 1:20-21
Then my dad read a few verses from Job. The final verse has been going through my head non-stop the last few days. It's really all I can comprehend spiritually right now. I have no answers. But I have hope. People who don't have confident eternal answers--how do they cope with situations like this? I would be in complete and utter despair.

I'm going to post the Job verses in complete context so you get an idea of what he went through, but still was able to say.

"There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.

His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."

And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?"

Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face."

And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. THE LORD GAVE, AND THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY; BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD."
Job 1:1-21

Song: Blessed Be Your Name

We had this song at our wedding. It's like vowing, "in sickness and health" to God. Today it was a bit of comic relief because it was an instrumental and the lyrics were printed on the bulletin, but no one was sure whether they were supposed to sing or not. I had envisioned some low-key, elevator music, but this version had the full band. Regardless, it was encouraging to think on words like:

Blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be Your name

Scripture Reading: Robbie McAlister

"I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

"Death is swallowed up in victory."
"O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

As my four-year-old nephew says, in the end, Jesus defeats all the bad guys, even death.

Closing Prayer: Robbie McAlister

There was another song that didn't make the memorial service, but Heather and I watched it minutes after we came back. My brother Matt and sister Jill put it together.

Riverbend supplied us with McAlister's Deli for lunch. My sister's flight was delayed last night and so she wasn't able to be here this morning. She comes in at 5 p.m. today. I know she is extremely frustrated, but it will be great to see her regardless.

Thanks everyone for reading and staying in touch.