Hello Rev. Perkins: May I call you T S? I too am a pastor that is now in a supportive role rather than as a fulltime ministry. There is no such thing as retired, as my wife says. I see you live just south of our home state.
Helping in a funeral home must be a place that offers you a scope into how many people cope with death. My first funeral I helped with was a man who passed on, his last name was Faith. Mr. Faith had no faith in Jesus Christ. Mrs. Faith had such deep angiush because like her husband she too had no faith in Jesus. She wailed like a mother who just lost a new born. The torment she was in I will never forget. Just before they closed the casket she pulled her husband up to hold him in her arms one last time, and it was not good at all. The funeral director had to pull her away, she was spared what she should not have seen.
I have often said I would rather do a funeral than a wedding, because the people pretty much stay put. How I wish I could say most of those I married stayed together, but they did not. However I have done more funerals than marriages. I have never done a funeral that I did not try to witness to those left behind. Well now enough "shop talk".
I see you use the NASB. For years I preached out of the NIV, and most of my commentary's are related to the NIV. However After the Updated NASB came out that is the Bible I use all the time except I do look at the NIV just to get a different take on a verse.
Well T. S. Welcome. and Merry Christmas
