Remembering Elna

My friend Elna passed away last Sunday. She was 92. I went to her memorial service yesterday afternoon.

There was way too much singing for my tastes. Too many traditional songs and such. What I couldn't get past was the lives she touched. I'd rather have listened to more of those.

Now, keep in mind that this is a woman who didn't even come to our church until she was 82 years of age. Just from what I heard yesterday, she led teenagers to the Lord. She made afghans for young moms and dispensed wisdom while she did it. She loved to go on rides with her friends. She made baby doll clothes for her friends' grandchildren. She taught moms how to knit. She understood when boys ran roughshod over her apartment, that in order to make men, it takes time and patience. She made time to chat with 10 year olds. She went to lunch with single moms. I could go on. And on. Like I said, not enough stories for my liking.

Personally, I have my own stories. I harassed her each Sunday she came into our church with her walker, telling her to hurry up because she was holding up a line of people trying to get in. She always had a witty retort. Sharp woman, she was. Very sharp.

I would come downstairs to our senior citizens group meetings on Tuesday during lunch and accuse her table drinking margaritas or having a flask on church property to which she was delightfully evasive...and then pull me aside and ask me how my wife and kids were...that pastors need to minister to their family first.

I once had two interns get engaged and asked Elna to give the guy some advice. Elna looked at the girl, and told him, "If you're going to have a long engagement to a girl with a figure like that, you should move to Canada." It was a riotous joke...but she was truly teaching him something.

She was 92. She walked with Christ for 80 years. Walked worthy, too. Is it okay to envy that kind of influence and longevity?

And, just so you all know, at my memorial service, remind Tracy to keep the music to a minimum. I'm more worried that the service will fall short due to a lack of stories...

I really will miss Elna.