I'll Give You A Daisy A Day
Sermon
Life Everlasting
The Essential Book of Funeral Resources
Object:
For a person who died following a lengthy battle with the ravages of cancer
I'll Give You A Daisy A Day
Romans 8:38-39; 2 Corinthians 4:7-12
This morning, I would like to share a simple thought.
You in this place are, with me, aware that Florence or "Bus" (as some of us nicknamed her) was quite fond of daisies ... fresh, golden, glistening daisies.
As a lover of daisies, Bus would have loved a song titled, "I'll Give You A Daisy A Day, Dear." It is a song that tells of the love of a man for a woman. In their youth, the man picked from the green fields a daisy for his lady-fair. He gave her one daisy each day. In the days of growing children, he would present to her each night a golden yellow and white daisy. Even in the twilight of his years, he could be found slowly walking to the hillside cemetery ... continuing to give her a daisy a day.
I would now simply suggest that Bus gave to each of us in this place a daisy a day.
To some or all of us, she gave the "daisy of laughter." Perhaps she gave us this daisy on our sad and gray days. Perhaps she caught sight of our tears and our worry. Then, with the twinkling of an eye, she would tell a story, and worries would melt and soon disappear. Laughter and a fresh measure of joy would be ours!
To some or all of us, she gave the "daisy of insight and wisdom." Perhaps it came when we faced some decision. Sometimes, even in listening and talking, she would direct our thoughts to new heights and new dreams ... and a new path through life was opened. We found ourselves looking at a new horizon.
To some or all of us, she gave the "daisy of love and compassion." The kind word spoken. The good deed she did for us when we thought no one was noticing us or cared for us. The joy she found in doing for others also caught our attention. And we rejoiced, for she showed us what God meant when he said we should care for our neighbor.
But most important of all, she shared with us the "daisy of faith." And for that we are the more richly blessed! For you see, she showed us that whatever else could be said of life -- it was beautiful -- far beyond us was God who cared so much for us that he gave his Son that we all might have life, and that, more abundantly. For did she not encourage us (and even show us), once, twice, yes many times, to come and see what the Lord had done? In nature, there is God's beauty; look at the daisy. In life, there is God's love; for God is the resurrection and the life. She reminded us that nothing would ever be able to separate us from this love of God, found in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Not any sickness. Nor pain. Nor things present -- like suffering from cancer. Nor things to come, like heartache and sorrow. All the treatments and pain that afflicted mind and body would bear witness to the fact that we carry in our "mortal bodies the death of Jesus, so that his life may also be seen in our bodies" (2 Corinthians 4:10), and our suffering be glory to God. Nothing would separate us from God ... nothing! We had, and will continue to have, life in Christ! Forever! You, too, come and see what the Lord hath done!
And we will have missed her witness to us, if we fail, in turn, to give to others this same "daisy-a-day" ... the daisies of laughter, wisdom and hope, love and faith. So, in your life, share with others this "daisy-a-day" that Bus has in her lifetime so richly given to us!
Now, may God's peace be ours. This day. Always. Amen.
(Reprinted from "I'll Give You A Daisy A Day," CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio 45804, © 1978.)
I'll Give You A Daisy A Day
Romans 8:38-39; 2 Corinthians 4:7-12
This morning, I would like to share a simple thought.
You in this place are, with me, aware that Florence or "Bus" (as some of us nicknamed her) was quite fond of daisies ... fresh, golden, glistening daisies.
As a lover of daisies, Bus would have loved a song titled, "I'll Give You A Daisy A Day, Dear." It is a song that tells of the love of a man for a woman. In their youth, the man picked from the green fields a daisy for his lady-fair. He gave her one daisy each day. In the days of growing children, he would present to her each night a golden yellow and white daisy. Even in the twilight of his years, he could be found slowly walking to the hillside cemetery ... continuing to give her a daisy a day.
I would now simply suggest that Bus gave to each of us in this place a daisy a day.
To some or all of us, she gave the "daisy of laughter." Perhaps she gave us this daisy on our sad and gray days. Perhaps she caught sight of our tears and our worry. Then, with the twinkling of an eye, she would tell a story, and worries would melt and soon disappear. Laughter and a fresh measure of joy would be ours!
To some or all of us, she gave the "daisy of insight and wisdom." Perhaps it came when we faced some decision. Sometimes, even in listening and talking, she would direct our thoughts to new heights and new dreams ... and a new path through life was opened. We found ourselves looking at a new horizon.
To some or all of us, she gave the "daisy of love and compassion." The kind word spoken. The good deed she did for us when we thought no one was noticing us or cared for us. The joy she found in doing for others also caught our attention. And we rejoiced, for she showed us what God meant when he said we should care for our neighbor.
But most important of all, she shared with us the "daisy of faith." And for that we are the more richly blessed! For you see, she showed us that whatever else could be said of life -- it was beautiful -- far beyond us was God who cared so much for us that he gave his Son that we all might have life, and that, more abundantly. For did she not encourage us (and even show us), once, twice, yes many times, to come and see what the Lord had done? In nature, there is God's beauty; look at the daisy. In life, there is God's love; for God is the resurrection and the life. She reminded us that nothing would ever be able to separate us from this love of God, found in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Not any sickness. Nor pain. Nor things present -- like suffering from cancer. Nor things to come, like heartache and sorrow. All the treatments and pain that afflicted mind and body would bear witness to the fact that we carry in our "mortal bodies the death of Jesus, so that his life may also be seen in our bodies" (2 Corinthians 4:10), and our suffering be glory to God. Nothing would separate us from God ... nothing! We had, and will continue to have, life in Christ! Forever! You, too, come and see what the Lord hath done!
And we will have missed her witness to us, if we fail, in turn, to give to others this same "daisy-a-day" ... the daisies of laughter, wisdom and hope, love and faith. So, in your life, share with others this "daisy-a-day" that Bus has in her lifetime so richly given to us!
Now, may God's peace be ours. This day. Always. Amen.
(Reprinted from "I'll Give You A Daisy A Day," CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio 45804, © 1978.)
