A salesman from a local memorial gardens called the other day.  He wanted to know if I would be interested in buying a cemetery plot.  I responded, "No, I will be buried in the cemetery at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church near Bogue Chitto, Mississippi, where my ancestors are buried back to my great, great, great grandfather.  But, I do appreciate your call because we all have to think about that sooner or later."  He said, "Well, it's like I told someone the other day, 'Everybody wants to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die to get there.' "

An aunt who lived near the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church would from time to time put fresh flowers on my Dad's tombstone.  One Springtime she made a wreath of Dogwood blossoms and placed it there.  This loving act reminded me that the last thing I did with my father was walk in the  woods behind the house and take photographs of Dogwood blossoms.  How I enjoyed just walking and talking with him.  Shortly after that walk, he went to be with the Lord.  When I had the roll of film developed and printed, there was a photo of Dad standing behind the limbs of a Dogwood tree.  The blossoms were in sharp focus.  His likeness was out of focus.  I have that photo to remind me of that pleasant occasion of fellowship. 

This life is in sharp focus. The life to come is out of focus...but no less real.  Paul put it like this, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:  now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." ( I Cor. 13:12) 

                                                                                                        JWB