Difficult Honor

Yesterday, my family was in Fort Worth for the funeral and graveside of five day old Addison Deason. Nicole and I have had the privilege of watching Addison's mother grow since she was nine years old into a Christlike woman. Addison's grandfather, my close friend, did the large funeral. The Lord's anointing was on Ralph as he preached the best sermon I've ever heard from him. And then I learned that in the arena of pastoral care, there is in fact something more difficult than church discipline . . . burying a five day old baby. I had the honor of performing a small, private graveside ceremony for the family as Addison's body was laid to rest. Wow, it was hard, but God was gracious as we exalted Christ even in the most difficult of times. I grew in my faith yesterday as I watched the Deason-Green-Wychopen clan fix their eyes on Jesus during a very difficult time.