A celebration has begun

Marking the death of such a love one

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Why celebrate some may say,

We’ll miss her so dearly in our own special way.

We’ll miss her smile; that sincere care,

We’ll miss the love that was always there

We’ll miss the hope, the tenderness, the way that she made us feel with the words she’d say.

We’ll miss the spark of spiritual light,

We’ll miss her comfort in our darkest night.

We’ll miss her spirit that glowed throughout; her sweet subtle nature without a doubt.

We’ll all miss that woman who did

transcend far beyond family, acquaintance, or friend

Why celebrate some may say

We’ll all miss her in our own special way.

Let us not believe that this is the end

of a life on which many did depend

She planted seeds along the way

Through gentleness or deeds; the things she’d say

She watched those seeds grow day by day

Emphasizing prayer; and did she pray

Prayer for her family far and near

Prayer for all those she held so dear

But also prayer for those who didn’t seem to care

Everyone’s burdens she seemed to bear

Never another prayer from her lips will we hear

Not from those eyes will descend another tear

Never more from her mouth will God’s praises ring

No more in flesh will she sing to her King.

With all this finality, we think of the end

Of a woman who God’s spirit moved fervently within.

But of this end, I do not see

because of those memories instilled within me

On these memories we share common ground

on these memories she’ll always abound

in the minds of generations to come

Not just a few or not just some…

But all…

So here we are with this death we must deal

Here we are with the hearts that must heal

Here we are with a void we must fil…

It’s so hard…

So to myself and to you I must ask…

What do we do?

What we must do is realize within

That death in this life does not mean the end

To us or to Minnie H. Penn

I fully believe that she’s in a place

Where she suffers no longer and see’s her God’s face

With her spirit no more troubled and her soul not a care

She waits for God’s trumpet to summon us all there

To a beautiful home where eternal we’ll be

Rivers of mild and honey we’ll see

Cities of gold with sparkling light

Always the sunshine and never the night…

A beautiful place…

But for now there’a a race we have to run

Constantly working until the setting of the sun

No man nor angel knows when this will be

So be ready…

Let’s show the love that my grandmother shared

She would want us to know that she really cared

Let family be family until our God does call

She would want us together; divided we fall

Let’s help our neighbors through difficult days

These are the ways

that she would want it

This is the life that she lived…

Helping others…

Let’s continue her dream and remember her legacy

Minnie H. Penn made a difference and she would want nothing more than for us to do the same.

Finally, I know that she would want someone to say…

Thank you to all of you who helped her during her lifetime.

Read: Jan. 21. 1989 at the Homegoing Service for my beloved grandmother, Minnie H. Penn