100 YEARS

Today, I had the honor of preaching the funeral of a woman who lived to be 100 years old. 

That alone is worth pausing for….

One hundred years. 

She lived through world wars…

…the Great Depression, 

…the invention of television, 

…the civil rights movement, 

….the rise of the internet, and so much more. 

But what stood out  MOST and what left the biggest mark on the people gathered there wasn’t how long she lived, but how well she LOVED.

She was the kind of neighbor we all wish we had.

The family told me that she loved to cook…

I imagine she probably baked pies more than once! Cooked fantastic meals!

She was also a part of The Manvel area Quilting Bee... she loved to sewed. 

But I found that she sewn more that just fabric... 

She sewed love, kindness, and connection into the lives of those around her.

That's what the people gathered around us that day remembered.

She made clothes for her children and others, she made blankets and quilts... 

She stitched blessings into the seams of everyday life. 

The thread of her life—quiet, steady, and strong—for 100 YEARS was woven through the hearts of family, friends, and neighbors. 

And that’s the THREAD that holds a community together.

“She was a GOOD neighbor”

….that was what everyone kept saying.

She made people feel loved...

This wasn’t a chapel service today—it was a graveside gathering. 

But even in the open air, under the tent of the cemetery, her legacy spoke LOUD. 

One woman said, “She made me feel like I mattered.”

Another neighbor said, “She always had time for me, and cared.” 

That’s not something you hear at every funeral...

THAT'S legacy!

When Jesus was asked, “Who is my neighbor?” 

He responded with a story…

…not about someone famous or influential…but about someone who showed mercy.

Someone who stopped. 

Someone who loved in action.

That’s who she was. 

A walking parable of kindness.

As I stood beside her resting place, I thought about a neighbor of mine….Mr. Wilson. 

I’ve talked about him a lot. He’s THE BEST neighbor! 

He’s watched our home when we're on vacation, 

…kept an eye on our dogs, 

…bought birthday presents for our kid’s,

…Helped me with home projects,

…and been there wherever we needed him! 

He's a good neighbor BECAUSE He's not afraid to show up for others! 

That kind of love doesn’t just impact this side of heaven—it matters on the other side too.

You don’t have to be known by the world to be remembered in Heaven. 

You just have to be faithful.

So today wasn’t just a funeral. 

It was a celebration of someone who got it right. 

Someone who loved well. 

And now, I imagine Heaven has a little more warmth, a little more grace, and MORE—because she’s there.

Let her life remind us all—you don’t have to be famous to be faithful. 

You just have to love your neighbor.

—PZ