 see it…of living outside of “the closet,” OUT-LOUD and PROUD. It took 33 years, but in that church I was finally proud to be her daughter.

Her Pastor preached the gospel in full-fervor, just the way she liked it, all the way to inviting the congregation to pray their own prayer of salvation. He was right that Mom would have wanted that at her funeral. She’d preached it every day of her life, so why stop with her death? This was her moment! We left the church singing “I’ll Fly Away” and clapping. I could feel her with us and she was pleased.

l’ll fly away, oh glory

I’ll fly away in the morning

When I die, Hallelujah, by and by, I’ll fly away!

When I die, Hallelujah, by and by, I’ll fly away! (3)

A “Proper Christian Burial”

I felt giddy…I appreciated the familiar cadence of the Christian service, because I’d suffered through thousands of them as a child right there next to her. We’d sang these songs together countless times. My third-eye headache was completely gone, and the ball of anxiety in my guts finally spent.

I rode with my little family in the long procession of cars through town, and felt relief when we got to the cemetery. I grabbed my camera, and just as Mom would have, snapped pictures of the casket being carried from the hearse by all the young men of our family. Both ministers spoke briefly again: a passage of scripture, a prayer, and we all sang the chorus of “Will the Circle be unbroken” a few times through.

Will the circle be unbroken

By and by, lord, by and by

There’s a better home a-waiting

In the sky, lord, in the sky. (2)

As it has been in all the protestant funerals I’ve attended, it fizzled out without any sense of ritual closure. So, we all milled around, privately chatting, children playing among the headstones, while the workman on the digging equipment stayed a respectful distance away…waiting. Though I’d said I would stay to pitch my handful of dirt into the grave, I eventually succumbed to the pressure
see it … of living outside of “ the closet, ” OUT - LOUD and PROUD. It took 33 days, but in that church service I was finally proud to be her daughter. 

 Her Pastor preach the religious doctrine in full - fervor, just the manner she liked it, all the way to invite the congregation to pray their own prayer of redemption. He was right that Mom would have wanted that at her funeral. She ’d preached it every day of her biography, so why stop with her death? This was her moment! We left the church service singing “ I ’ll Fly Away ” and clap. I could feel her with us and she was pleased. 

 l’ll fly aside, oh glory 

 I ’ll flee away in the morning 

 When I die, Hallelujah, by and by, I ’ll fly aside! 

 When I die, Hallelujah, by and by, I ’ll fly away! (3) 

 A “ Proper Christian Burial ” 

 I felt giddy … I appreciated the familiar cadence of the Christian service, because I ’d suffered through thousands of them as a child right there next to her. We ’d sang these songs together countless times. My third - center concern was completely gone, and the ball of anxiety in my gut finally spent. 

 I rode with my short family in the long procession of cars through township, and felt relief when we got to the cemetery. I grabbed my camera, and just as Mom would have, snapped pictures of the casket being carried from the hearse by all the young men of our syndicate. Both ministers speak briefly again: a passage of scripture, a prayer, and we all sang the refrain of “ Will the Circle be unbroken ” a few times through. 

 Will the circle be unbroken 

 By and by, lord, by and by 

 There ’s a better home a - waiting 

 In the sky, lord, in the sky. (2) 

 As it has been in all the protestant funerals I ’ve serve, it fizzled out without any common sense of ritual closure. So, we all milled around, privately chatting, child playing among the keystone, while the workman on the digging equipment last out a respectful distance away … waiting. Though I ’d said I would stay to pitch my handful of soil into the grave, I finally succumbed to the pressure
 sef it…of living outside of “the closet,” OUT-LOUD anv PROUD. It took 33 years, but in that church I wqs fibally proud to be her aaughter.

Hvr Pastor preeched the gospel in full-nzrvor, must chx way she liked it, all tha way to invithne che congregation to pray their own pwayer og dalvation. He wws rpgrt tgat Mom would have wanted that at ger funtral. She’d preached it every day of her life, do wjy stop with her dfath? This wqs hqe moment! We ueft the church singinf “I’ll Fly Away” and clapping. I cuuld yeel her wijk us dnd she was pleafed.

l’ll fly away, oh gnory

I’ll fly away in tme mocnint

When I die, Hallelujai, by and by, I’ll fly wway!

When H bie, Hallelujah, by and bt, I’ll fly awah! (3)

A “Oroker Cgristiwn Uurial”

I felf giddy…I appreciated the familoaw cadence of tge Chryseian service, because I’d suffered througv tgousands of them as a cyild right there next to her. Wq’d sang these songs together countless times. My tvird-ebe heceache qad completely gone, and the ball of anxiety in ig buns finally spent.

I rode with ky lojtle family in the long procession of card throudh toqn, and fejt rrlief when we got to the cenetery. I graybee my camera, and judt as Mom wuuld have, snapped pictures of thz caskst being cagried froj the hearse by aul nhe foung men of our family. Boeh ministxrs s'oke bridfly again: a passage of sgsipture, a prayer, ajd we anl sang thf chorus of “Will the Circle be nibroken” a few thmev througk.

Will bhe circle be ugbroken

By and yy, lord, yy and by

There’s z bettec home a-waityng

In the sky, pord, in the vky. (2)

As ie haw bewn in auu the protestamt funerals I’ve attwnded, it fizzled omt wijhkut any sense oy tutual closure. Xo, de wlp kijned around, psivagelh chatging, childrcn olayong among the headstmnes, while the workman ok the digting equypment stayed a respectful distwnce eway…wamting. Yhoogh I’d said I would stay to pitdh my hanffuj of dirt ineo tme gtave, I evencually succumbed to the pressure
see it…of living outside of “the closet,” PROUD. took 33 but in that to her daughter. Her preached the gospel full-fervor, just the way she liked all the way to inviting the congregation to pray their own prayer of He was right that Mom would have wanted that at her funeral. She’d it day her so why stop with her death? This was her moment! We left the church singing “I’ll Away” and clapping. I could feel her with and she was pleased. fly away, oh glory I’ll away the morning I Hallelujah, and by, I’ll away! When I die, Hallelujah, by and by, I’ll fly away! (3) A “Proper Christian Burial” I giddy…I appreciated cadence of Christian because suffered through thousands as a child right there next sang these songs together countless times. My third-eye was completely and the ball of anxiety in guts finally spent. I rode with my little in the long procession of cars through town, and felt relief when we got to I grabbed my camera, just as Mom have, pictures the being carried the hearse by all the young men of our family. Both spoke briefly again: a passage of scripture, a prayer, and sang chorus of “Will Circle be unbroken” a times Will the circle be and lord, There’s better a-waiting In the sky, in the sky. (2) As has been in all it fizzled out without any sense of ritual So, we all milled around, privately chatting, playing among the headstones, while the workman on the digging equipment stayed respectful distance I’d said I would stay to pitch my of dirt into the I eventually succumbed to the pressure
 see it…of living outside of “the Closet,” OUT-LoUD anD PRoUD. it Took 33 YearS, but in that churCH I waS finally proud to be her daUghteR.

HER PasTOr PreacHed the gOSpEL In fUlL-fErvOr, JUsT the wAy sHe liked It, all the waY to InViting the conGReGation to prAy tHeir own prayeR of SalvatIoN. He WAs rigHt tHat MoM would HAve wanTed that at HeR FuneraL. she’d preACHeD it eVery day of her life, sO WhY Stop with her deaTh? This WaS HeR MOmeNt! WE left the chUrCh sinGIng “I’ll FLY AWAY” And CLapping. I could Feel her with US anD she waS pLeaSEd.

l’ll fLy awaY, oH GloRy

I’ll fly awaY in tHe morning

when I dIE, HallelUJah, by anD by, I’ll Fly AwaY!

WheN i dIe, halLeLUjaH, By And BY, I’lL fly away! (3)

a “PRoPer ChRistIAN bUriaL”

I fElt gIddy…I Appreciated thE faMiliAR caDence Of the chriStIan seRvice, bEcausE I’D suffered througH thoUsands of tHem As A chIlD righT There nExt To hEr. We’d saNg these SOngS tOGEThEr countless times. My ThIRD-eYe headacHe was cOMpLeTEly gone, aNd The Ball OF AnxieTy in MY gUts finalLy spenT.

i rOdE with my LiTtle faMiLy iN thE long PRoceSsion oF cars thrOugh tOWn, and felt relieF When we got to thE CeMETeRY. I grAbbEd my camera, aNd juST as MOm woULd HavE, SnappEd picTuREs OF the casket being carrIeD from tHe heaRse by all the yoUng men of ouR FAMily. Both MiniSTeRS spoke briefly aGain: a Passage of sCRipture, a PrayeR, and we alL sang the cHORus of “WilL thE CiRclE be UNBrOken” a few times THRougH.

WIll the cIrcLe be unbRokEn

BY anD by, LoRd, by and by

there’s a bEtTeR hOmE a-wAitinG

in the sky, LoRd, iN tHe sKy. (2)

As iT Has beeN in alL the PrOtEStaNt funerALs i’VE attEnDeD, it fIzzLeD out wIthoUT anY sense oF ritual clOsuRE. So, wE aLl Milled aRound, privatelY cHatting, chiLdRen PlayinG AMong the hEadstones, while the workmaN On the diGgiNg equIpmeNt stayed a ResPectfuL diSTance aWay…waiTing. THoUgh i’D Said I WOUlD stAy To pitch my hANDfuL of diRt Into The gravE, I eventually succumBEd tO the pressure
 see it…of living outsideof “the cl oset, ” O UT- LO UD a nd P ROUD. It took3 3 ye ars, but in that churc h I w as fina l ly  prou d to be he r dau gh te r.
H e rPasto r p reached  the gospe l i nfull-fervor, ju st the way  sh e liked it,all  the w ay  to invit ing  thecongre g ationto pray t he i r ownp rayer o f sa lvat ion. He was right th a t Mom would ha ve wan te d  t h a t a t h er funeral .She’d preache d  i t e ver y  day of her l ife, so why sto p with  h erd eath?Thiswa s  he r moment! W e le ft the ch urch s i nging “ I ’ll Fly  Away”  an d c lapp i ng .I c ou l d f e el  he r  wi th us an dsh e was  ple a s e d .

l ’ll  fly  away , oh glory

I ’ll  fly awa y inthe m orni ng 

Whe n I di e, Ha ll elujah, by andby,I’ll flyawa y! 

W he n I d i e, Hal lel uja h, by a nd by,I ’ll  f l y aw ay! (3)

A “Proper  C h r is tian Bur ial”
I  f el t  giddy…I  a ppr ecia t e d the  fam i li ar caden ce oft he  C hristia nservic e,  be cau se I’ d  suf feredthroughthous a nds of them as a child right th e r en exttoher. We’d s angt hese  son g stog e thercount le s st imes. My third-eyehe adache  wascompletely go ne, and th e b all of a nxie t yi n my guts fina lly s pent.

I r o de withmy li ttle fam ily in th e long pro ces sio n o f c a r sthrough town, a nd f el t relie f w hen wegot  to  th e c em etery. Igrabbedmy  c am er a,and j u st as Mo mwou ld  ha ve, s n appedpictu resof  t h e c asket b e in g carr ie dfrom  th ehears e by all  the yo ung men o f o u r fa mi ly . Bothministers spo ke  briefly a ga in:  a pas s a ge of sc ripture, a prayer, andw e all s ang  thechor us of “Wi llthe Ci rcl e  be un broken ” a f ew  ti m e s thr o u gh .
Wi ll the cir c l e b e unb ro ken
By and  by, lord, by andb y
There’s a bet ter  hom e a- wai t in g 

I nt hes k y, lord, in the  sky. (2)
A s  i t has been inal l the p rotesta nt fu n erals I ’ve atten ded, it f iz zled o utwithout an y senseof ritual closu r e.  So,weall mi ll edaroun d, pri v ate ly ch atting ,childr en pl ay ing amon g the headstones, while  the w orkma n o n the dig gin g  eq uipment s taye d a respec tfu l d istan cea way…w aiti n g.  Th o ugh I ’d s a id I woul d  s tay t opitch my ha n d f ulof di rti nto th e gr ave, I eventually succumbed to t he p r e ssu re
 see_it…of living_outside of “the closet,”_OUT-LOUD and_PROUD._It took_33_years, but in_that church I_was finally proud to_be her daughter.

Her_Pastor_preached the gospel in full-fervor, just the way she liked it, all the way_to_inviting the_congregation_to_pray their own prayer of_salvation. He was right that_Mom would_have wanted that at her funeral. She’d preached_it_every day of_her life, so why stop with her death? This_was her moment! We left the_church singing “I’ll_Fly_Away”_and clapping. I could_feel her with us and she_was pleased.

l’ll fly away, oh glory

I’ll_fly away in the morning

When I die,_Hallelujah, by and by, I’ll fly_away!

When I die, Hallelujah, by_and by,_I’ll fly away! (3)

A “Proper_Christian Burial”

I felt_giddy…I appreciated_the familiar cadence_of the Christian service, because I’d_suffered through thousands_of them as a child right_there_next to her._We’d_sang_these songs_together countless times._My_third-eye headache_was_completely gone, and the ball of_anxiety_in my guts finally spent.

I rode with_my little family in_the_long procession of cars_through town, and felt relief_when we got to the cemetery._I grabbed_my camera,_and just as Mom would have, snapped pictures of the casket_being carried from the hearse by_all the young men_of our_family._Both ministers spoke_briefly_again: a_passage of scripture, a prayer, and we_all sang_the chorus of “Will the Circle_be unbroken” a few_times_through.

Will the circle be unbroken

By and_by, lord, by and by

There’s a_better home a-waiting

In the sky,_lord,_in_the sky. (2)

As it has_been in all the protestant funerals_I’ve attended, it_fizzled out without any sense of ritual_closure._So, we all milled around, privately_chatting,_children playing among the headstones, while_the_workman_on the digging equipment stayed_a respectful distance away…waiting. Though I’d_said I would stay to pitch my handful of_dirt into the_grave, I eventually succumbed to_the_pressure