June 16, 2017
Funeral for Marilyn Faye Weinaug Martin
Funeral for Marilyn Faye Weinaug Martin
May the words of my mouth and the
meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our
redeemer!! AMEN!!
Let us pray! Heavenly Father, we gather here at Emmanuel knowing
that today what we hold in our minds eye, are not just memories, but clear
pictures of Marilyn’s earthly life which now is completed with her entrance
into eternity. As we mourn her passing,
may Your Word, paint a vibrant picture for us reminding us of Who and what
inspired her creativeness and enable us to be comforted with the salve of the
Gospel. For it is clear that the love You
showered upon her and she shared with those whom she knew and loved, found its
ultimate demonstration for her by her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the Cross
of Calvary. May the picture and
fulfillment of His love surround us today and enable us to be comforted with
the true knowledge that Marilyn was baptized into Jesus Christ life, death and
resurrection and now rests in her Lord and Savior’s arms, welcomed into her
eternal heavenly home, by her beloved Stan as they dance to the music of heaven
surrounded by God’s love. AMEN.
All of us have heard the saying
that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’.
When I was discerning the Call to Emmanuel Lutheran almost 7 years ago I
received in the packet about the church about 60 pictures. It included some of the most recent candid
pictures of the members of Emmanuel. As
I looked through the stack, one particular picture struck me. Not only was it a picture of a couple sitting
in the last pew at the back of the church, like all good Lutheran’s do, but the
picture was of an older couple, the husband was big, bald and built like a
linebacker and the wife was petite, prim and proper and had stunning silver
hair just like my mother. As I turned
the picture over, I learned their names, but did not realize then the impact
they would have upon my life, my family and ministry while here in Goodland.
The picture was of none other than
Stan and Marilyn. My first personal impression
when I met both of them was of a loving couple that would do anything for
anyone. Their love not only for each
other, but their four kids, Cindy, Sharon, Monte and Marla and their grandkids
and great-grandkids knew no bounds and the pride they felt when talking about
each and every one of them. If there was
an event occurring across the state or across the country, they were there,
come ‘heck or high water’, their attitude was clear, “Get it done” and ‘be
there or be square’. And this
willingness to travel even since I came to Goodland, showed their love, commitment
and desire to put family first even if it meant a long drive.
Clearly their personal drive was
demonstrated by Stan’s always working, whether at the Elk’s, implement
dealership or farming, yet behind every man is a great woman who is truly the
glue, but behind the scenes. Marilyn was
the glue and demonstrated her commitment to her family in many ways. In the home by being the homemaker who could
bake, cook, clean and ran her house with military precision and meticulous
detail, even down to having a special puma stone that travelled when necessary. Or on Saturday night while Stan was working
down at the Elk’s, Marilyn with her girls would watch Green Acres, My Three
Sons and of course The Lawrence Welk Show and dance around with them after
their hair was made ready for church on Sunday.
Marilyn was even willing to like a
mother hen, nurture not only her own brood of son and daughters, but even the
neighborhood children, feeding them if they were hungry, making delicacies like
sugar cookies with individual names for special occasions and even by her willingness
to be the ‘Blue Bird’ and Campfire Girl leader.
For some being a leader would have been a daunting task, but Marilyn embraced
it with her Texas tenacity and can do attitude and enjoyed these times and made
the events and the programs special, from handmade and hand sewn items expressing
her creativeness given to her by God and her willingness to make the parties
fun, from the party favors, the food, games and even with the skits that were
the envy of all the other groups.
Everybody wanted Marilyn as their leader, because she was fun, from
playing cards, to laughing to planning and executing the best ‘themed parties’.
Recently one of the young ladies
she impacted brought back her campfire vest and shared with Marilyn and her
family the lasting impact Marilyn had upon herself as well as many other young
ladies. Once her daughters had ‘flown
the nest’ and successfully become independent like her son had become in his
own right, even in the face of adversity, Marilyn continued to impact others in
the community in the courts and even the girls at the Tech College and especially
with her longtime love and dance partner Stan.
And this is the woman I first met when I arrived in Goodland who had
many creative friends right here in church who at the time were her kindred and
creative spirits that walked with her on the journey of life.
Marilyn sadly though in April
2011, in my first year here, sadly suffered the most traumatic event when she
and Stan were vacationing in Texas. Marilyn
fell and it was uncertain what the future would hold. As a Pastor, I was helpless, because I
couldn’t travel to minister to them as I wanted, but when they arrived back
here in town, and Marilyn was in the hospital, not only had their world
changed, but the next six years brought many mountain top experiences like
their 60th anniversary and sadly even some unexpected twists and
turns, but the bright tenacious, prim and proper image of Marilyn shined
through.
Yet through all of it, there has
been a thread that has been the cornerstone in Marilyn’s life, from New
Braunfels, Texas to a chance date to a young strapping Airman in San Antonio, and
ultimately moving here to Goodland, KS 64 years ago. And this thread the relationship Marilyn had
with God, epitomized in none other than the greatest Psalm that David wrote and
that we heard only a few minutes ago.
The 23rd Psalm perfectly encapsulates the journey of her
lifetime, but especially the last few years.
Stan, Marilyn and all of the family walked through the “valley
of the shadow of death”, but God’s promise that “the Lord is my shepherd”
was daily fulfilled giving unto Stan and Marilyn the opportunity to live and
love one another and their family and continue to demonstrate their love not
only for each other, their kids, grandkids and even great grandkids as the
couple that continued to be fiercely independent and the clear desire to live
life on their terms being independent and creatively staying in their own home.
But, things had changed. The image of Marilyn who was creative, meticulous
and imaginative like the image reflected in the mirror recently was not easily
seen because of the fog, like on the mirror from a hot shower. Marilyn the woman we knew and loved was still
there, but as a result of her fall and other factors, was not as clearly seen nor
experienced the same every day. But
through these times, God’s Word still rang true, God as David wrote, insured
that He would “prepare a table before” Marilyn, God “anointest [my] Marilyn’s head
with oil” and God insured that Marilyn’s “cup runneth over”. For this is what Marilyn learned growing up
in Texas, shared with her family every time they would take the long night time
ride in the cool of the night before air conditioning. And when they would arrive at “The Hill” as
you can see on the front of your bulletin, Marilyn’s Mom would be standing underneath
the arch at the gate with open arms, ready to welcome, love and embrace in true
Texas fashion and style her Kansas family.
This picture is exactly what God
wants us to firmly and faithfully hold onto and remember this morning. You see, last week, we experienced the
Marilyn we all knew and loved so much.
God gave us one last gift of grace, mercy and especially His love when Marilyn
woke up and was laughing, sharing stories and enjoying her grand and
great-grandkids. One last time, our
Yellow Rose of Texas shined through. But
on Saturday evening, Marilyn entered the gates of heaven and was welcomed with
open arms by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
God clearly welcomed Marilyn and now has given her an eternal rest from
the labors of not only her hands, but this world. David completes his picture for us and we can
take great comfort in this truth, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Today we gather here as the family
of God celebrating the truth that this woman who loved sweet deserts at every
meal, who had a strong sense of right and wrong and a lover of games and a
loving mother to everyone. Our “Yellow
Rose of Texas”, Marilyn, now rests from the labors of her hands, not because of
her work, but because of the grace and love of Jesus Christ for her
demonstrated on the Cross of Calvary by Jesus Christ and which she was baptized
into. For clearly today, the path that
has led us to this place has not been without tragedy, turmoil or tumult. But God has fulfilled His promise and now
fulfills in our sight and with our celebration the entrance of Marilyn into eternity. She is not alone, she was welcomed by her
parents, Alvin and Katie, embraced by her grandson Jarett, but is now reunited
with her Saturday night dance partner Stan, ready to cut the rug, in a place better
than the Crystal Chandelier.
May this image given to us by
David, and fulfilled by God, not only dance in our mind, but firmly cement the
truth that God, Marilyn’s Good Shepherd, now holds her dearly and today, no
longer encumbered by the inability to dance can with her beloved Stan, Jarett
and all of the rest look down upon us.
And may this image be the reminder, not of loss, but of love found in
what her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ fulfilled on the Cross of Calvary that
finds its fulfillment as she now dances in heaven not only to the music of
Lawrence Welk, but the angels singing the praise of her Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. For now and for all eternity she
will be surrounded by the choir of angels and embraced by Jarett, reunited
with Stan and gathered together for the greatest feast and party put on by her
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
Now may the peace of God which
surpasses all human understanding comfort us today as we celebrate Marilyn’s entrance
into the party that knows no end with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! AMEN.
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