Memorial Window, Neilston Parish Church

I came here early this morning, rain pouring down, to say farewell to a dear friend. We laughed, we cried, we sang, we remembered, we gave thanks for her life and prayed for her family. She is at rest now, having struggled for over 21 years following a stroke, but we know for her it is far better.

It's not easy to take photographs at a funeral. Trying to be sensitive, I took this shot at the end of the service when the church was almost empty. I really liked the thistles and thorns running through. A lovely piece of local history.

I wanted to record here some of the readings and music. so I can look back and remember. This is for some friends and family who follow my Journal, but were unable to attend.

Unaccompanied singing of one of my favourite Burns' songs - Ca' the Yowes
Ca' the yowes tae the knowes
Ca' them whare the heather grows
Ca' them whare the burnie rowes
My bonnie dearie

Hark, the mavis' evening song
Sounding Clouden's woods among
Then a-faulding let us gang
My bonnie dearie

We'll gae doon by Clouden site
Thro' the hazels spreading wide
O'er the waves that sweetly glide
Tae the moon sae clearly

Fair and lovely as thou art
You hae stown my very heart
I can die, but canna part
My bonnie dearie

Ca' the yowes tae the knowes
Ca' them whare the heather grows
Ca' them whare the burnie rowes
My bonnie dearie.

A reading from Psalm 27 :
One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.

I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.

A reading from the very end of C S Lewis's "The Voyage of the Dawntreader", and poignantly just before we left for the cemetery, my dear friend Ian sang Horatius Bonar's hymn so beautifully :-

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk,
Till trav’ling days are done.


F