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[ Silence ] [MUSIC] ♪♪ ♪♪

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[Music] [Music] [Music] ♪ (dramatic music)

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[Music] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]

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♪♪ ♪♪ [Music] [Music]

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(dramatic music) [music] [Music] [Music]

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We come to celebrate the life of Sister Benny Cardette Scales Garrett. We come to remember her deeds of love and mercy, to be comforted through God's eternal Word, and strengthened through the resurrection hope which is ours through Jesus Christ. [BLANK_AUDIO]

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♪ I love the Lord ♪ ♪ He heard my cry ♪ ♪ Now I'm home ♪ ♪ They are he ♪

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♪ Lord ♪ ♪ He has borne ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ And pityed Eregon ♪

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♪ Mm-hmm ♪ [MUSIC] ♪ Free ♪ ♪ Long ♪

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♪ Long as I live ♪ ♪ And trouble rise ♪ ♪ Long ♪ ♪ Oh ♪

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♪ As I ♪ ♪ Thy ♪ ♪ King ♪ (audience applauding)

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♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ All hasten to his throne ♪ ♪ Mm, hey, oh, ah ♪

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♪ To his throne ♪ [ Applause ] >> For our scripture reading, I would like to call your attention to Saint John, the 14th chapter.

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Jesus comforts his apostles. He announces his coming for them. Starting with the first verse, "Let not the unhard be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me.

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In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may

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be also. And where I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas said unto him, Lord, we know not where thou goest, and how can we know the way? Jesus said unto him, I am the way, truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me. So we pray, our Father in Heaven this evening, the Father of our Lord and our Savior, Jesus

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Christ. We come now to God petitioning thee, Lord, if thou wouldst have mercy, give strength to this bereaved family, give courage. Lord, thou knowest each heart. You know our heavy this lay upon each one of them. O God, we pray that thou wouldst help them to look to thee, from which all of our help cometh, for our help comes from thee.

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And O God, we pray that this may be O God, a stepping stone for someone who's in the valley, may it be a reminder of those who have not stopped along the way to say thank you, Lord. We pray, O God, that thou wouldest bless each heart here today, that the words that is spoken

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will be heard and received. For I heard you say your word would not return unto your Lord, but would accomplish that with us wherever thou sendest. Now special blessing upon this husband.

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Oh God, you know his condition, you know why that you have come by and visited his home and taken his wife. And as you give this one, Master, we know that you can be a wife for us and a husband for us and a friend for us.

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Whatever we need, we know that you can be that to us. We pray, Lord, that thou would bless the children, bless the immediate family, and especially in a special way. We know you know how to do it, Lord. We come now asking you, God, if thou would,

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bless them now. Bless them, O God, in the moments to come, that they might be able to stand fast and see the salvation of the Lord. Bless them now, O God, and take care of them, keep them in the name of Jesus, we pray.

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Amen. [ Background Sounds ] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]

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I come to the garden, O Lord, I love you, this field of the roses. And the voice I hear, calling on my ear, the Son of God is closest. ♪ And he walks with me and he talks with me ♪

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♪ And he tells me I am his own ♪ ♪ And the joy we share is as we care repair ♪ ♪ None other has ever known ♪ ♪ He speaks and the sound of his voice ♪

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♪ Is so sweet the birds touch their singing ♪ ♪ And the melody that he gave to me ♪ ♪ Within my heart is ringing ♪ ♪ I hear God with me and he talks with me and he tells ♪

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♪ He and he talks with me ♪ ♪ He tells me I am his own ♪ ♪ And the joy we share as we tarry there ♪ ♪ None of earth has ever known ♪

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♪ I know ♪ ♪ I stay in the garden with Him ♪ ♪ Though the night around me be holy ♪ ♪ But He gives me hope through the voice of hope ♪

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♪ The voice of hope ♪ ♪ His voice to me is calling ♪ ♪ And he walks with me ♪ ♪ And he talks with me ♪

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♪ And he tells me I am his own ♪ And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known. ♪ And He walks with me ♪ ♪ And He talks with me ♪

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♪ And He tells me I am His own ♪ ♪ And the joy we share as we tarry there ♪ ♪ One more day ♪ ♪ As the earth ♪

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♪ Reborn ♪ [ Applause ] >> With profound sorrow and shock, the pastor and members of Ebenezer Baptist Church, bow in humble submission to the will of God at the call

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of Sister Benet C. Garrett from our midst. We loved her and we shall miss her. Sister Garrett accepted Christ as her personal Savior at a very tender age under the pasturage of the late Reverend J.C. Lott, and she gave a life of service for the Master here at Ebenezer

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through its auxiliaries. She had an encouraging word and a friendly smile for all of those she met along life's journey. The fine influence that was manifested by her upon those who knew her in her church

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life in the community, in the city, and wherever the journey led her will be reflected, hopefully, in the lives of others. She had a strong commitment to service, and although she had many talents, for the Lord entrusted her with more than one talent.

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Somehow she seems eminently fitted by native faculty for music and for song. Her mother and father were endowed with the gift of music and they gave of themselves love and service in the church and throughout the community. And so has Sister Vinnie Garrett.

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For her talents extended through community organizations and fraternal endeavors that exemplified her concerns. Maybe in the scheme of universal existence, her role was to be an example of friendliness, of faithfulness, of loyalty, and of love as a laborer in the vineyard of the master.

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his promise that whatsoever is right, that shall he receive. Whereas the Lord in his infinite wisdom and divine love has seen fit to call for mortality to immortality, I will a co-laborer in the service of the King, resolve that we give thanks to God for having shared this beautiful life with us.

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Resolve that in this hour of sorrow, we pray God's blessings upon her family and extend to them our sincere sympathy and commend them to our Lord and Savior, who is able to heal

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all earthly sorrows. Resolve further that the date of the demise of Sister Vinnie C. Scales Garrett, be subscribed in the records of the church, and this resolution be given into the hands of her family.

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We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear, and often for each other falls a sympathizing tear. Humbly submitted, Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Reverend Marvin, C. Griffin, Pastor, Valverde C. Phillips, Church Clerk.

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The Garrets, Scales, and Glaskos, the families of Sister Benet C. Garrett, wish to thank there are many friends for all the kind deeds extended during the hour of bereavement. May God bless each of you. [ Pause ]

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[ Music ] Oh, how well do I remember how I doubted from day to day. ♪ Oh, for I did not know for certain ♪ ♪ That my sins had been washed away ♪

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♪ Had been washed away ♪ ♪ But when the spirit ♪ ♪ Tried to tell me ♪ ♪ Oh, I would not ♪

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♪ And the true ♪ ♪ Receive ♪ ♪ And I endeavors ♪ ♪ To ♪

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♪ To be happy ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ And to make myself believe ♪ ♪ And oh, it's real ♪

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♪ Lord, it's real ♪ ♪ I know ♪ ♪ I know it's real ♪ ♪ Praise God ♪

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♪ Praise God ♪ ♪ All of my doubts have been answered ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Right now ♪

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♪ And I know ♪ ♪ Oh yes I know ♪ ♪ That it's real ♪ - Amen. - Amen.

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[audience "Amen"] In the book of Jeremiah, the 18th chapter, there's a beautiful little verse. Part of that verse goes like this,

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"Rise and go down to the potter's house and tarry a while and you'll hear my words." The interesting thing about that little story was that there was a potter who was sitting out a wheel.

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If you could use your imagination for a moment, working with a little bit of clay in his hand. And the clay was rather slick and rather wet and slippery. And it slipped out of his hand. It fell on the floor. It was damaged. He reached down and reclaimed it and molded it again. We're like that. We're put here for a short

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while. God worked with us as best he could. But he knew we had a few flaws, a few imperfections but he gave us a chance to work with the imperfections. The life of Monet was like that. man, beautiful, charming, loving, outgoing, warm, full of compassion, full of enthusiasm, abound with a faith and a conviction in a God.

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She never lost sight of the fact that she believed in God. You see, Maxi Dunham in a little book called Dancing at My Funeral is a very uplifting little book because he says, "Life is dancing, and when one is living and when one is alive, one is not worried about death."

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We accept it. The master potter, a few days ago, decided that he wanted his little lump of clay. And he reached down and he reclaimed it. If B'nai was here, I know she would want me to say this in my departing word, "Are we

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ready when the hand comes?" In the name of the Father and the Son, Amen. Amen. [coughing]

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(coughing) [ Background noise ] [ Music ] The service of Jesus, true pleasure affords.

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♪ In Him there is joy ♪ ♪ Without and alone ♪ ♪ 'Tis heaven to trust Him ♪ ♪ God rest on his word ♪

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♪ For it pays to serve Jesus each day ♪ ♪ It pays to serve Jesus each day ♪ ♪ It plays every day ♪ ♪ It plays every step of the way ♪

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♪ Oh, the pathway you always take ♪ ♪ Sometimes it's a long and hard way ♪ ♪ And we dream ♪ ♪ You'll be happy ♪

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♪ We step ♪ ♪ On the way ♪ ♪ Though sometimes ♪ ♪ The shadows may hang all the way ♪

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♪ And sorrows may come ♪ ♪ To beckon us home ♪ ♪ Oh, precious Redeemer, ♪ ♪ Each toil will repay ♪

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♪ For it pays to serve Jesus each day ♪ ♪ It pays to serve Jesus ♪ ♪ In place every day ♪ ♪ In place every step of the way ♪

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♪ Though the pathway to glory ♪ ♪ May sometimes be drear ♪ ♪ You'll be a king ♪ ♪ Each step of the way ♪

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♪ It takes two searching hearts ♪ ♪ It pays every day ♪ ♪ It pays every step of the way ♪ ♪ That never go away ♪

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♪ Oh, the pathway to glory ♪ ♪ May sometimes be drear ♪ ♪ You'll be happy ♪ ♪ Teacher of the brave ♪

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[MUSIC PLAYING] Tucked away in Paul's second letter to Timothy, the fourth chapter and the sixth verse, is a word which I would like for us to prayerfully meditate upon.

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I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. Say, "Are you ready?" All of life is focused around readiness,

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getting ready, getting ready to be born, getting ready for school, getting ready for a job,

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getting ready for marriage, getting ready for the responsibilities of adulthood, getting ready for the storms, getting ready for the emergencies, getting ready for the inevitable, getting ready for retirement, getting ready to die. Life on this planet at its best is preparation for that which is higher and better.

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In a sense, human existence in this world is like a dress rehearsal for a grand drama, getting ready for the main event. That's what the prophet Amos has in mind when he cries out, "Prepare to meet your God." Blessed is the person who realizes that life is a romance with readiness.

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I submit to you that Sister Benet Garrett discovered early in life the importance of being ready. Her training in readiness began in the home. An outstanding part of her life is her praiseworthy response to the teachings of the family.

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The Bible says, "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the earth which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Her mother departed earlier, and I had the privilege of observing over the years her relationship with her father from very close range.

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And everyone who was acquainted with the family knows that there was a very, very close relationship. It was a kind of filial obedience and piety worthy of emulation. The love for her father and her father's love for her. It's the kind of obedience, the kind of reverence and respect that gets us ready for living.

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That's why the Bible says, "Children, obey your parents. Parents provoke not your children to wrath." B'nai's getting ready radiated through the family to the church. It was shown in her faithfulness in the chancel choir and the sanctuary choir.

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She loved the church. She enjoyed divine worship. In other words, she feasted on the word. She found in the worship services a means of strength helping her to get ready for the

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challenges of daily life. I recall that she said to me on one occasion that she would like for my sermons to have wider circulation. I said, "Well, in order to do that, someone would have to type them."

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She said, "Well, I'm ready to do that." She was more ready than I was. I never got around to giving them to her to type, but she was ready to do that. She was ready to carry out her father's wishes and the gift that she made to the church.

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After her father passed, she wrote me a letter, which I kept. And this is what she said, "Daddy built the library table and the bookcase in the 1920s his senior project in college since industrial art was his major and the subject he taught. My sister and I studied our lessons many nights at this table by lamplight. I would like to place

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the table and bookcase with his collection of books in the church along with the piano. I I trust you will have space and some room for these pieces. After they are placed, I will get plaques to place on them in the usual style.

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And moreover, my family would like the pieces dedicated." And she went on to say, "Daddy many times spoke of giving my piano to the church, the library table, the bookcase with books, and now I feel that I must follow

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through on this." And what struck me about this is that those articles that were most precious to her. She wanted to see left at the church that meant so much to her. And that readiness was expressed on her job. The most pleasant experience I've had with Internal

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Revenue, most of my visits have been unpleasant, but the most pleasant experience I had was going there and seeing her in action and seeing the joy with which she performed the tasks that were assigned to her. That was a readiness that flowed through her life.

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And you see, it appears to me that she grasped the meaning of Paul's message to Timothy, son in the faith when he said, "I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand." Now a great deal of preparation must be made in order for a person to truthfully utter

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these words. Plans must be made, projects carried out that are related to the ultimate purpose. In order for an individual to be able to truthfully say, "I am now ready." Paul had been getting ready since his experience on the Damascus Road.

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The missionary journeys, the sermons, the churches he organized, and the letters that he wrote, the sufferings that he experienced were all a part of getting ready. For you see, getting ready is a life process, a pattern of living. That's what Paul means when he says, "I have learned that in whatsoever state I find myself

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therewith to be content." Mr. Binet-Garrett has been getting ready all along the way for some time. Her lifespan of some 50 years

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is the process of getting ready. She served for a time as a pianist for the Brotherhood. In fact, she was the only lady in the group. And she was faithful.

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She was far more faithful than most of the brothers. In fact, I can remember time and time again when there were cold nights, and there would be just four brothers-- brother William Curley, brother Monroe

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Graves, brother Valchester Scales, her father, and Benet Garrett. That was the congregation for that meeting. She just felt a part of whatever she was identified with

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in such a way that she was dedicated to doing her duties no matter what happened. There was a spirit of faithfulness that radiated through her life.

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You see, getting ready is not easy. For Paul it involves sickness, persecution, prison experiences, and he is in prison as he writes these words, "I am now ready for the time of my departure is at hand." You see this is Paul's farewell.

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It's his goodbye. With painstaking effort, he says his goodbye in such a way that it is a means of comfort and strength for not only Timothy, but for generations unborn. I say Sister Benet Garrett walked the way of suffering and sorrows.

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She had her physical ailments, but she did not murmur. She had her personal problems, her prison experience, yet she lived in readiness. The fact that Sister Benet Garrett prepared her funeral program shows that she lived in readiness.

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I understand that she prepared it first in 1978, and then she updated it in 1980. person does that, that shows kind of readiness of being prepared for the moment when death should come. Because she took seriously the word of our Lord, "Be ye also ready, for you know not

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the day or the hour that the Son of Man cometh." There's a picture on an ancient Roman coin. It's the picture of an ox facing a plow and an altar. And underneath are these words, "Ready for either."

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Ready to suffer grief or pain. Ready to stand the test. to stay at home and send others if he sees best. Ready to go, ready to stay, ready my place to fill, ready for service, lowly or great, ready to do his will. So

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you see, my brothers and sisters and to the members of this family, this dear husband. Paul's farewell message is about readiness and as he says goodbye his parting words are, "Watch in all things, endure afflictions, be steady, be strong Strong in the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Endure hardness as a good soldier. Then he says, I am ready to be offered up. And we sing about I want to be ready, I want to be ready to walk in Jerusalem just like John.

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Bene lived that way. And so the question is, say, are you ready? ready? She said that over and over to us as she sang it with the chancel choir and I often requested her to sing it from time to time. Say are you ready? And so I would have her

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in her own way to say that to us today as we come to the close of this message in which we give attention to her life. [MUSIC] [MUSIC]

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♪ And in the morning ♪ ♪ Fall into the murmurs ♪ ♪ Of the evening ♪ ♪ So ♪

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♪ Babe are you ready ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm ready ♪ ♪ If the shed rain down could fall ♪ ♪ Day by day I'll do as I please ♪

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♪ Oh, I'm waiting ♪ ♪ Waiting and waiting ♪ ♪ For love ♪ ♪ Please be with me ♪

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♪ I found the world ♪ ♪ I'm free ♪ ♪ From the world of ♪ ♪ Revenge ♪

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♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus is with me ♪ ♪ He's waiting patiently ♪ ♪ Oh, you can't refuse him ♪

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♪ I know you will ♪ ♪ Oh, he's waiting patiently ♪ ♪ I feel the sound ♪ ♪ And the rain doesn't stop ♪

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♪ I feel ♪ ♪ I follow, I follow ♪ [Music] ♪ What's mine is yours ♪

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♪ And I'm not ♪ ♪ I'm not here to be ♪ ♪ No ♪ ♪ Take me ♪

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♪ I'm ready ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ I'm ready ♪ ♪ We'll be together ♪

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♪ Angels to the poor ♪ ♪ Save for the brave ♪ ♪ All are you brave ♪ ♪ Worthy and brave ♪

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[MUSIC] [MUSIC] ♪ If the devil came down to the top ♪ ♪ Ready for the journey ♪

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♪ Oh, are you ready ♪ ♪ Ready and steady ♪ Let us pray. Eternal God, our gracious Heavenly Father, help every one of us to be able to say, "Yes,

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are ready that we may be gathered together again in a world without end. Amen. [ Pause ] [MUSIC PLAYING] [Music]

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[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]

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(Music) [Music] (gentle music) [Music]

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[Music] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪

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♪♪ [Music] [Music] [Music]

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[Music] [Music] [Music] ♪ (dramatic music)

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♪ (dramatic music) ♪ (romantic music) [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC]

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♪ (dramatic music) [Music] [MUSIC] [Music]

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[BLANK_AUDIO]