As part of my wife, Nancy’s histology training, she talks about having to be a deaner and assisting with autopsies at the Cleveland clinic. Nancy vividly remembers her first time assisting the medical examiner. She recounts that as she stared at the “person” lying on the table the pathologist came over and put his hand on her shoulder. “Obviously,” says Nancy, “He could see my nervousness.” Then the pathologist whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry Nancy, this is just the house the man lived in - but he’s not home any more.”
For we who are believers in Jesus Christ, the truth is not that the man is simply not home any more but that the man has truly gone home: home to where he truly belongs - in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As the scriptures attest, “Absent from the body present with the Lord.”
I am comforted to know that my dad, Elton Dunn, has indeed gone home!
For some reason, when I think of dad I also think of his father, my beloved Grandpa Roy. Whenever I think of myn grandpa Roy, I recall sitting next to him in church and hearing him sing, with great gusto, When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there. As I listen to the music, in my minds eye I see my father crossing the ramparts of glory and arriving on high. Then as I hear the name, Elton Dunn called out, I see dad raise his hand high, like a child in school as he shouts out, “Present”!
"Absent from the body present with the Lord!"
Welcome home Elton! Welcome home Dad!
Some years ago a survey was done of senior citizens. One of the questions asked was;
“What is your most precious possession?”
Want to guess the number one answer???
Photographs!
why? because photographs are about memories and our memories are indeed our most precious POSSESSIONS.
A number of times recently I have been blessed to go to the funeral home's web site and view the marvelous photo journal of dad and our family. Whenever I have lingered there, my mind has been flooded with images - sweet memories of “the Acts of Elton Dunn.”
Until we are reunited with those who have departed we have these precious photographs and our memories. This indeed is a precious gift which Dad has left behind, this gift of remembering. It is one gift that cannot be taken away.
Let us take time in the days ahead to remember all that Elton meant to those of us who were loved by and who loved him and let us share those precious memories with one another.
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