Today at First Lutheran we celebrated the life of Margreta Hawbaker, a beautiful, faithful 96-year-old woman who died this past week. Funerals like that are actually a joy...a time to remember the grace-filled moments of a person blessed by God, and who blesses so many others in response. We gathered together around the comforting, life-giving words of Scripture, dined at the table where all the saints are welcomed, and sang those beautiful, old familiar hymns.
And then afterwards, we do what good Lutherans always do, we ate! We had the rolls and casseroles and salads, some of Margreta's favorite rice pudding, and do you know who did the serving? Five teenagers! That's right--we had two of our wonderful matriarchs (Joan and Joyce) and then the rest of the servants were no older than 18. I am so very proud of them. They have so seamlessly taken on the role of the "women's group," and done it without complaining, without sarcasam, without hesitation; they faithfully serve in ways that their foremothers have--in the same ways that Margreta did.
First Lutheran may be small in numbers, but (can I be cliche again) they have the biggest grace-filled hearts I've ever seen. Thank you so much Shelby, Devin, Alex, Ashley and Kimberly. Your grandmas would be so proud!
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