"Searching For Answers"

“Searching For Answers”

We just returned from Oklahoma City after laying another family member to rest. Delbert Lee Trammell was my youngest sister’s husband. He passed away May the 13 after a long battle with cancer. He was 67. His funeral service was attended by a large number of family and friends. Several beautiful floral arrangements adorned his casket. He was a man that words have not been found to properly describe him. A man of several personalities. He leaves a wife of 47 years, Shirley Ann Cope Trammell, five sons, 2 daughters, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren to grieve. Rev. Ronnie Cope, nephew of Shirley Trammell, conducted the service. Like he has done with several previous family funerals, he touched the grieving hearts with a special love that only God can give.

Many of us who are left to wait our turn to depart from this life should think seriously about how we have judged others. When God created man He had a plan and a purpose for each and every one. I don’t believe I am ready to tell God that any one of His created beings didn’t fulfill His plan for them. Life in this earthly body is short at best, but it holds many deeds of both good and bad which have to be acknowledged by God on that great and final day. At every funeral I have attended where Rev. Ronnie Cope has ministered he has emphasized the need to love and forgive. I saw an uniformed law officer standing at the back of the funeral chapel where my brother-in-law was entered for his final good-byes. I had never seen this before, but was aware that things have changed a lot in the past few years. Some good friends whom I have great respect was telling me about a family member of theirs where the funeral had to be conducted twice. A split family would not all attend the same service. It is so hard for me to imagine such a terrible strife among a family. I know there has been hate in this world ever since its beginning, but you and I don’t have to let it enter into our hearts; but if it does, work and pray very hard to get it out. Hate is death almost ready to strike.

I believe that an evil spirit dwells among us now more than ever. That spirit is growing stronger only because the Christians are growing weaker. Its much easier to turn our backs on acts of sin than to make it known to people. No one wants to hurt or insult anyone, but is that the way Jesus was? Absolutely not. He let people know when they were sinning. Does that mean Christians are the same as Jesus? Absolutely not, but it means Christians must quote God’s word day in and day out, even if it makes someone mad. We should never try to enforce God’s word, but always make it available. That is all God asks of us.

God bless