Eugene

The end is not the end for those who have put their trust in Jesus. It is only the beginning. When we belong to Jesus, we simply leave behind our empty shells and go into glory. Death does sting even when we know Jesus. It hurts to leave behind the people we love. It hurts to be left behind. We will encounter many more hurts on our journey. Sometimes the story of our lives seems like one painful episode after another. Jesus knows this. In John 11:35 it says Jesus wept when his friend Lazarus died even though He knew He was about to raise him from the dead. He understood the pain of Lazarus sisters Mary and Martha. The word wept denotes a deep sorrow with great emotion. Because Jesus loved Lazarus and his family He wept. He wept with the Pettit family and friends once again last week. Though Jesus knows and sees the joyful ending He still gets down in the middle of our sorrow and holds us close, mingling His tears with ours. When we trust in Jesus someday He will wipe every tear as He did last Tuesday with Pops Pettit when Pops was set free and Jesus "walked" him to his eternal home.

Eddie gave the eulogy at his father's funeral Saturday; he spoke from his heart and that is what his dad always did too.  In the beginning of the Alzheimer's Disease we looked forward to hearing him throw out nuggets of wisdom when all filters disappeared. In the last year or so the disease progressed and we all missed hearing his voice.


Here is Eddie's eulogy - - - - - -


How do you define a man?

I started out by looking up the definition of definition.



A definition is a statement expressing the essential nature of something (or in this instance, someone).

Eugene G. Pettit



He had a way about him that he became the very definition of whatever he happened to be doing at the time.



Whenever and wherever he was present, he did more than just show up. He was the definition of presence. He commanded respectful attention.
When he was serving, he was the very essence of a servant.
When he needed to be strong, he was strength personified.



In times when he was tender, tough or gentle, his actions defined tenderness, toughness or gentleness.

When he was intense, he was the absolute definition of intensity.


If he was silly, it was usually accompanied by a goofy hat, if not an entire outfit that defined silliness.


When he showed love, he was the definition of unconditional love. The kind of love we get from God.


He was extremely generous with his time, talents and treasure. He defined generosity.


He had a thirst for knowledge and when he studied, he was the essence, the definition of a student.


Whenever he was teaching he was a teacher in every sense of the word.


Many times he was in a leadership role throughout his life. He was the definition of a leader.


There was only one thing that my dad ever put above his family.


His faith.


His faith in God!


How does someone, abandoned by his earthly father at the age of two become such a remarkable father himself?


He remained faithful to his heavenly father -- and he left a legacy of faith, hope and love.


He never pointed his finger at himself. He always pointed toward God.


My dad never showed up to show off -


But he always stood out, because he always stood up.


That is the definition, the essential nature of Eugene G. Pettit