Green pastures, quiet waters, valleys, and shadows.

Good afternoon everyone. My name is Rev Brian Harvey and on behalf of the family, I welcome you to this very special service.

Some years ago now, Michael introduced Constance to the rest of his family, and I think I can say that she felt welcomed. When we learnt about her history with cancer, it was kind of amazing to be in the presence of someone who had such an incredible story to tell.

The relationship developed, and at some point I travelled to a second hand book store in Edithvale to meet with Constance and Michael to prepare for their wedding.

Then in October 2004, in a little church in Harden, I stood with Michael & Constance in the presence of friends and family and God to conduct their wedding. That day still stands in my memory as a great wedding and a great day in our family.

I am Michael’s cousin, and it is a privilege to be able to lead this service today.

You will have your own stories and memories of Constance and your relationship with her. I hope you will take some time today to share some of those stories and memories and cry or laugh together.

In our service we will hear eulogies from family members, a special song being sung, and will be able to see a number of photos of different aspects of Connie’s life. Then I’ll read an ancient poem. To start, I invite Michael to come and speak to us.

(This was followed by other family members speaking. These messages were all outstanding and honouring.)

Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
​¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³ he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Here is a quote from another old poem:

“Life is a journey; long is the road,

And when the noontide is high

Souls that are weary faint 'neath their load,

Long for the waters, and cry:”

So begins an old song, and as we gather together this afternoon, recognising all that has happened over Connie’s life, that first line is painfully relevant:

“Life is a journey; long is the road”

Like all journeys, the journey of life will take us into unexpected and unwanted areas. But the fullness of life will also show that this journey isn’t always in unexpected and unwanted areas. Often this journey passes through times of great peace and happiness.

Psalm 23 is a beautiful poem, but it is not a poem written for funerals. However, it is nonetheless relevant and helpful for us today as we celebrate a journey of life that we have all shared in, though in different ways. This Psalm speaks of a journey of life and all that this journey contains. It begins with a peaceful journey.

The Peaceful Road of Life

The road of peace is a road that we all want. We want it on a global scale when we look to the overwhelming troubles in the road and wonder if there will ever be peace. We want peace when there is strife in our families and in our neighbourhoods. We want peace.

Here is how this poem describes the road of peace

“Lying down in green pastures”; “Besides quiet waters”, “Restores my soul”, “Paths of Righteousness”.

I’m not very good at poetry, and I know that if I’m asked to describe a peaceful life, I will just use lots of words. The writer of this poem knows how to communicate in better ways, and reading these words, even speaking these words evokes thoughts of a place where you have been able to rest – to relax – to just be.

We know that for Connie, for the family, for friends, the thought of walking the journey of life along a road or pathway of peace has been little more than a distant thought for a number of years. Yet this shouldn’t remove the reality of those times of peace and rest and fun that Connie did enjoy over her life time.

The fact that the journey of life takes us through peaceful places should never be forgotten.

But that this journey of life isn’t all green pastures and quiet waters. 

The Difficult Road

Though the writer uses three or four images to describe what I call a road of peace, he only needs one to describe the difficult road:

“Walk through the valley of the shadow of death”

We don’t need to hear anything more.

We don’t want to hear anything more because this image is complete enough. The journey through a dark valley can be a scary one perhaps because you cannot see everything that is around you. This journey can be a difficult one because it takes you away from that place of peace and comfort that we would prefer.

Why would such an image as this be found within the Bible? Simply, because the Bible does not hide from the difficulties of life. Why would I think such an image is relevant for our gathering today? Simply because this shadow has been hanging over the family for a long time. But at this point I want to point out three quick and important things

First, things grow in the valley. This is just a simple reality – things grow in valleys more than on mountain tops.

Second, if there is a shadow there must be light. 

Third, it is in this valley that some of Connie’s greatest life work has been achieved. I don’t say her greatest work, because her greatest work has been with Michael in being the mother to these two great lads. Her greatest work is in teaching and modelling to her children how to live in difficult times. But this doesn’t take away the reality that it is in this valley of the shadow of death that Connie’s great impact has been made.

There is the change in attitude from “I’m dying of cancer” to “I’m living with cancer.” There is the decision to look beyond herself to the hundreds and thousands of others who are dealing with cancer. Then with her brother Sam, and a huge and growing team of supporters, Love Your Sister came to be. Some of us remember standing in the baking sun at Federation Square in Melbourne as Sam began the unicycle journey, and that journey has continued in raising funds and, perhaps more importantly, urging women to be ‘breast aware’.

Many have seen the Facebook community grow into thousands, and when I wonder what impact Connie has made on the lives of others, I read comments like this:

Connie, you are the most inspiring person I have never met.

What Connie has done in her lifetime is more than most would do in a lifetime a lot longer than hers.

with all the hate in the world at the moment you have inspired a passion in all your followers that there is a better more loving and meaningful way to live. Thank you.

And people didn’t just look on as watchers. People feel a belonging and a connection to this village, so they say things like:

Love to all, feel like we have lost a family member

Many others expressed their sadness and also their support for all the family with words like:

A brighter world having had Connie on it... And Sam ... Thinking of you and your family... And Connie's husband and beloved boys. RIP beautiful girl.

The journey of life will take us through the valley of the shadow of death, but it is a journey that goes through it. Keep on going.

The Final Destination

This journey of life will bring us to a final destination. The writer of this Psalm, this holy poem, knows this. Instead of taking time to write a poem to inspire people to greatness and endurance in their own strength and wisdom, this writer points to the shepherd who will provide what is needed and the rest that is required. This writer points to the guide who will lead him in paths of righteousness and the one who will walk with him through the valley of the shadow of death and who will bring great comfort particularly in those times.

Then this writer points to a host who will welcome the weary yet contented traveller at the end of days.

So we learn that if we look for our greatest strength in ourselves, it will fail. It may endure for a time, but it will fail. These words urge us to look to the shepherd, to the one who could say of himself, “I am the good shepherd”. Even these ancient words urge us to look to Jesus as our greatest hope and our Saviour.

The journey of life takes us through peaceful places and through difficult places. In all of them these words, and the experience of countless others, teach that we are not alone. God is there in all of it. I pray that you will know quiet waters and green pastures more than valleys and shadows.

Prayer

O mighty God, father of all mankind, as we gather here today we do so with very mixed feelings. Our hearts are aching for the life that has come to an end. And yet we are thankful for a life that has been lived and for the impact of that life. We give you thanks for Constance Johnson.

As we come to the end of our time together here, I pray that you would bring healing to broken hearts, peace to troubled minds, and joy to despairing souls.

Lord, our great shepherd, guide us into paths of peace, for your name’s sake.

Amen.

Friends, as we come to the close of our service, in a moment I will give the words of committal. As the coffin is lowered to Constance’s final place, you will hear the words of James Blunt’s song, “Goodbye My Lover.”

Committal

Having given thanks for the life of our friend, sister, husband, mother Constance Anne Johnson, we now commit her body to be cremated, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Amen.