Duncan and I have just returned celebrating our 30th wedding anniversay in Melbourne. But our time away was tinged with sadness when we learned that our much-loved former pastor, Eric Maindonald, had passed away in Tauranga.

Eric held a special place in our hearts as he was our first minister when we came to faith. He had carried his cross of Parkinsons disease with much dignity and courage. We were especially saddened that we could not be at his funeral. We last saw Eric and his lovely wife Pat last November; I never dreamed it would be the last time we would see him.

In early December one of our daughter’s lovely young friends died from liver cancer. Isabel Lee was only 22 and she had a steadfast faith in God. She was not only bright (head girl at Elim in 2005) and beautiful to look at, she was also beautiful on the inside.

On her service sheet there was a quote Isabel‘s father had found on her Facebook page after she died: “I am not afraid of death; I am afraid of a life not lived for His glory.”

Her funeral at Papakura Baptist was a wonderful celebration but it was sad to think that someone with so much potential was taken home at such a young age. Isabel’s grief-stricken father saw her funeral in a different light – as Isabel’s wedding day with Jesus.

In contrast, the week before we went to Melbourne I attended a friend’s mother’s funeral. Here was an 81-year-old lady, Mary Lock, who also had a wonderful steadfast faith but who had lived her life in full. She had grown up, married, raised four children, seen her grandchildren grow up and come to faith and been blessed with two great-grand babies.

What a contrast! Both daughters of Christ  - Isabel taken so young and Mary taken after a long life well-lived.

Only God sees the big picture!

– Fran Pardon