e e e Flo my isal and there it had the sun was an okay guy they had a p dragon fly the Dragon Fly R away but it came back with story to and fur she down the forest the they got from Below PS and the creatures are la scar color black was killing and her fur friend took down the queen and that's how la la w love is a many Splendid thing love lifts us up where we belong All You Need Is Love please don't start that again all you need is love a girl has All You Need Is Love she'll end up on the streets All You Need Is Love love of think Well's here I go love we me no I won't and I I'll drink all the time and now spe he the Sun I was born was born to be with you in the SP after iish can leave a heart black and blue I was Bor I was born to sing for you I didn't CH to lift you up sing what you my first cry it was a joyful only you such a SC magnificent magnificent oh only unit our heart and I will magnify mag mag May down wonderful life now you're in the sat on the roof and I kicked off the m but the's I for people it so excuse me for I do you see forgotten ifen or blue what I yours are the sweetest stars i' ever seen this is your I hope you don't mind I hope you don't mind that I put down in words now you're in the you don't you don't that I put down how wonderful life is now go out is it all behind you you feing stay through every heart go being BL breathing as up little up broke to Monday something not the same cross sweep the floor feel your presence in your absence sh the oh all behind you step outside step outside time step outside step good afternoon my name is Tim and I serve as one of the Pastoral staff here and it was my it was my honor to Journey alongside Michelle and Alex for the last four years thank you for being here here thank you for the color that you bring reflecting her beauty and her love of life and color as we can see by her art your leggings in particular I was noticing but there is many who are gathered here wearing beautiful flowers remembering the beauty and joy that Michelle brought into our lives thank you for being here both in person and online for those who cannot be here thank you for taking the time to remember and reflect and to celebrate her incredible life these gatherings are important places where we can laugh together weep together cry together and share together where we can process our Collective grief and also thank you to God for having Michelle as a part of our lives this time will be a time of scripture reflection sharing sometimes together and the memories that we've had I'm sure there'll be some laughs and some tears today we have space for all of this we are free to weep laugh and cry and hold to Hope because we serve a God that has done all of those you are encouraged to be authentic as you celebrate her life and as we reflect on the faithfulness of God together you'll notice gift bags on your seat Michelle loved gifts and Alex thought that it would be a great reflection of her her Generous Heart for you to have a gift bag on there and so if you're dying to know what's in it I'm going to give you 30 seconds to open it real quick cuz I'm going to I was going to say hold on but I know you're like kids at Christmas and Michelle would like you to see probably what's in there I don't even know but give you 30 seconds to open that up and satisfy your curiosity and once we've opened it up then we'd ask you to put them under your seats so we don't listen to the crinkling of bags for our entire time here together once you've opened it and satisfied your curiosity you can place the bag underneath your seat and enjoy the contents of the bags at a later time we'd also ask that you silence your phones if you have not yet so that we can be fully present together celebrating ating her life I'm going to invite the band up and I'm going to pray as we start the band can make your way up God Together We Gather celebrating the life of Michelle and we acknowledged the beauty and joy and laughter her famous personality which you blessed us with and God we celebrate but also we greet Lord there's a space in our hearts that feel that feels that feels empty there is a pain that time cannot satisfy and Lord we bring to you both our celebration and our grief Lord we thank you that Michelle is with you experiencing your healing your presence but Lord we also confess that she is not with us and that is so hard and Lord I pray as we share memories as we read scripture as we remind ourselves of the truth of your word and the hope we have in you would you guide our time Holy Spirit we invite you to come and minister to our hearts particularly to Alex and to her family that is gathered here may they feel the love of this community that is gathered and may they experience your healing that comes through your presence in your name amen Colleen will now read Psalm 23 Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd I lack nothing he makes me lie down in Green Pastures he leads me beside Quiet Waters he refreshes my soul he guides me along the right paths for his name's sake even though I walk through the darkest Valley I will fear no evil for you are with me Your Rod and your staff they comfort me you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup overflows surely your goodness and your love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever the word of the lord we are um a team of people that um has worshiped with Michelle for a long time singing and churches and different places um all of us come from different uh places that we' met Michelle but all of us have experienced um song and singing together with Michelle in some way or another and we are uh blessed to be here with you this afternoon and to lead you in some of the pieces that were just really dear and special to Michelle's heart um this song in particular that we're going to play is a song called surrounded and the story goes um that there were there there weren't too many things that um that we knew exactly what Michelle would have wanted on a day like today but this song was 100% the thing that she said um she would want her friends to hear and her community to to know this song would be played today and the song is called surrounded fight my battles and um it's it's a little bit of a different take on on a different worship song called surrounded um it is more um reflective and subdued and but also just powerful and it talks about how this is how I fight my battles and Michelle um had a battle for many years um and she fought her battle through prayer and through worship and this was important to her and so um we'll share it with you this afternoon we just invite you to stay seated as we play it um and you can reflect um just on the words to know um that it might look like we're surrounded but God is always with us and that is the truth and um and so we stand by that truth and we would like to share that with you this afternoon this is how I find my battles this is how I find my battles this is how I find my battles this is how I find my B it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you and this is how I fight my batt this is how I find my batt this is how I find my battles this is how I find my batt it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you it may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by you Rock of Ages CL for me let me hide let me hide Rock of AES clar for me let me high let me hide let me hide myself in thee this is how I find my batt this is how I find my batt this is how I find my batt this is how I find my batt amen well I would again like to to welcome everybody here to this celebration where we can celebrate together um Michelle my name is Colleen and uh I have the privilege this afternoon to join with you in singing a few songs um Michelle and I spent many years together uh first we taught together and then we adventured um pretty much everywhere that we could think of and that our hearts could take us and our wallets um normally you'd find us at the top of some mountain or on a lake or at the ocean um Michelle loved the ocean and uh many parts of creation uh she always said that she felt the most alive when she was in creation but Michelle also loved to worship and she also loved to sing and uh just as we're about to do here today in this Saturday afternoon and I was looking through some old Facebook posts uh about a youth retreat that we used to plan together called fire for our school and uh we're actually planning that same Retreat and it comes up in 3 days from today um we do many of the things that Michelle creatively put um I teach at a Christian School and um there's just some amazing pieces that Michelle's Legacy will live on and many many students lives are changed um this is what she wrote years ago before coming out to fire or during fire actually she wrote WoW tonight was a good night night at fire I Sing Praises from my heart to my God to the one who is my king and I found that post and I thought um you know it's so wonderful um that we serve a god who's so real and who we can experience so Michelle loved Jesus and knew that um that that he was the one who created the mountains and he was the one who created the oceans um the colorful flowers and the sky um but she also knew that that he was the one that created her and he's the god that loved her and brought her Joy even when things were really hard um the songs that were chosen today reflect Michelle's deepest commitment to the God who loves us and I know that she would want you all to know today that you too belong you belong here and that you are loved by The God Who created you and she'd love if you would join together to reflect or to sing with us today these songs and words that bring honor to our god so I would invite you to stand with us we're going to sing two songs today um oceans and uh Amazing Grace which many of us will know you call me out upon the Water the great unknown the Fe May F and there I find you in the mystery Notions deep my faith will stand and I will call upon your name and keep my eyes above the way when otions rise my soul will rest in your Embrace for I am yours and you are my Your Grace abounds in deepest wat your Sovereign hand will be my guide Where Feet May Fail and fear surrounds me you never fail and you won't start down and I will call upon your name and keep my eyes above the waves when o rise my soul will rest in your Embrace for I am am yours and you are mine oh you are my Lord me where my trust is with Without Borders let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me take me deeper than my feet could ever wonder and my faith would be me strong longer in the presence of my savior Spirit lead me where my chce Without Borders let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me take me deeper than my feet could ever wonder and my faith will be me stronger in the presence of my savior Spirit Le me where my trust is with the B let me walk upon the wers wherever you would call me take me deeper than my feet could ever wonder and my faith will be me stronger in the presence of my savior oh yeah yeah yeah oh and I will call upon your name and keep my eyes above the way my soul will rest in your Embrace for I I am yous and you are my oh yeah you are my oh oh Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that save our W like me I want was lost but now and found was mine but now I see was Grace and T My Heart To Fear and graise my Fe how preious that gra the are our first the Lord has prised good to me his word My Hope secure he will my shield and Portion be and as long as life through many danger and snares I have already come gra that brought me save the far and Grace will lead me when we've been there 10,000 years bright sh me as the son know days to sing God's praise then when we first be we've known all last days to sing God's praise then when we first be you may be seated it'll be now be a slideshow never knew I could feel like this like I've never seen the sky before want to vanish and your kiss every day I love you more and listen to my heart can you hear it telling me to give you everything everything Seasons may change winter to Spring but I Love You Until the End of Time come come on me oh I will love you until my we're going to come back to that once they've rebooted the computer in the back and got that unfrozen some special people in Michelle's life have been asked to share their memories and Reflections about her so if you've been one of those people who's been asked to share I'd ask you to come and sit either at this front section here or right there so that you are so that you can quickly come on up and I'd ask you to go in order of the program and I won't introduce you but just uh to follow that so with the first person come up to share you so much yeah forgive me I I'm on okay perfect forgive me if I need a moment um that worship was beautiful and seeing such wonderful friends of Michelle's um who are now friends of mine honor her life that way was very touching um for those of you who don't know me my name is AJ I met Michelle in 2017 working together at uh Mary Butterworth and I was the educational assistant in her language arts class um coinciding with us becoming very close friends and eventually a chosen family and so um when I was asked to speak Not only was I honored but I also couldn't for the life of me father than what I would say um so in the last while as Michelle was embracing and uh journeying through her new reality with cancer um she actually brought this gift not to give to me but to share with me this book I have and I was so enthralled with the message that I asked her if I could have it and she said sure and she gifted it to me and and was going to get her own copy and uh I came across this book since she transitioned and I think it just so greatly encapsulates her and her spirit and uh the person she was and so in true language arts teacher fashion I would love to read you all his story today um so this is Ping by Annie Castillo to my beloved fellow humans my friend in this life we can only ping the pongs belong to the other you ping they pong you ping they pong you might ping a big smile and there are many possibilities the pong might be smiling back getting scared getting angry or not even noticing although it's good to imagine the best possible pong it helps to remember it is not up to you you can ping with your voice with your fingers with your brush you can ping through a poem a small gesture or a big one I'm on my way you can ping by expressing feelings that just need to burst out I love you with a passion you can ping to one to a few to everyone to life you can ping by bringing your mind heart and dreams into the real the world to love is to Ping to live is to Ping now that you know ping freely generously curiously ping passionately tirelessly bravely and wisely ping even if you're scared ping adventurously hopefully joyfully ping persistently kindly mindfully ping far and gather today to celebrate and honor Michelle's life I encourage you all to please keep pinging and just like Michelle do so bravely passionately joyfully and with a lot of love thank you for those of you who don't know me I'm Michelle seir and I'm going to get through this I first met Michelle at Mary Butterworth school where we quickly bonded over our passion for teaching reading and writing Although our classroom environments were very different we love to laugh about how I had to always have things perfectly straight and for Michelle things needed that little tilt just to make it right but it when when it came to working together we were a perfect match just two language arts nerds with bags full of Post-it notes and colorful notebooks overflowing with countless ideas when Michelle was diagnosed we continued our cherished brainstorms and despite everything Michelle was going through she still loved to talk shop and share all her creative ideas for my students she would also share her highs and lows her colorful notebooks now filled with her endless research to Take Back Control of her life although Michelle was no longer able to be in a classroom full of students she became her own teacher and Dove right in with the same fire that made her truly amazing Michelle was the real deal she walked the walk and talked the talk Michelle had a nickname for many people in her life and mine was mighty mous this definitely was not in reference to our height difference but in truth Michelle was the mightiest of all despite everything she was going through she put her heart and soul into living life to its fullest even in her dark times she took action for others when she saw they needed help and coupled this with words of Faith encouragement and support when I asked her ambs family to send a word that made them think of Michelle the list was endless warm vibrant creative generous joyful sparkly loving kind caring and forever positive even when faced with challenging students her presence will be missed by so many whose path she crossed Miss Michelle you will always be my beautiful forever friend you were so strong so brave so inspiring and yes I have to say it just a little bossy but you are Miss beyond measure and I know that one day we will be just two language arts nerds together again love you to the moon and back forever and always Mighty MOS thanks very high stand sorry it's okay good afternoon everyone um for those of you who I have not had the pleasure of meeting my name is herna but to Michelle I was always little H and to me she will forever be Miss Wills Miss Wills was without a doubt the most extraordinary person I have ever known a hefty title but a title she truly earned she played a pivotal role in shaping the person that I am today I first met her when I was 12 years old a timid seventh grader and she was my super fun love to wear patterns layered on top of each other Drama teacher over the next nine years we built an Indescribable Bond she provided unwavering love support and guidance helping me grow into the 20-year-old confident person that I am today she saw something in me that I often couldn't see in myself sorry and for that I will always be truly grateful although she was my biggest cheerleader I was always her number one fan Michelle once told me that I was like the daughter she never had that and although I have two incredibly loving parents sorry and although I have two incredibly loving parents she was a parental figure I needed desperately she UND stood me she provided advice that will stay with me for lifetimes and she cared for me in a way that nobody will ever come close to I was honored to hold that position for her losing her has been one of the most devastating experiences of my life my world is forever altered because a life without her presence simply doesn't feel like mine anymore her memories surrounds me her Post-it notes are plastered all over my walls her handwriting is etched on my body and her spirit is engraved in my soul I don't yet know how to navigate a life without her but I do know that she would want me to try so I will try to paint this world with the same vibrant color she used I was incredibly lucky to have a Miss Wills in my life she showed up when it mattered she checked in when I needed it most every thought every action every word she carried with intention she got me through most days without even realizing it now watching her paint the sunsets each night has become my favorite part of my day I know that she knew how deeply loved she was not only by me but by everyone her beautiful spirit touched Miss Wills you were so much to me a mentor a mother figure but most importantly you were a true friend thank you Miss Wills for everything you were to me I promise to carry your light with me wherever I go I promise to save you a seat at every table I promise to take care of Alex and I promise to always be your little H I love you forever and always uh we are Michelle and Alex's neighbors also Bob and Walter when Michelle gave me this scarf she was battling her cancer as has been said already so valiantly and I thought what a kind gift as she knew we both loved Harry Potter and thus the gift after I had taking care of her dear dog Walter and Bob now looking back this scarf takes on much more significance it's a symbol of what I will remember about this courageous Gryffindor by including her memory in my Harry Potter class at the University always this remembrance goes with these words we both knew The Last Enemy that shall be destroyed is death Brave old beautiful Michelle a fighter a warrior princess a leader whether Michelle was planning a party a dinner with friends painting journaling dancing walking her dog Walter or planning a trip she was all in I love that about her I was going to share this but I shared it with Alex last week um Michelle met Brian before me and uh I was in between houses cleaning and and doing things and uh the first meeting we had she said are you Brian's dog walker my response was amongst other things yes but from there we um we started a beautiful friendship I was a small part of her care team she would send us a message that she needed prayer and encouragement I love watching this team mobilize into action some would bring a meal show up to pray the messages the messages that each person sent to her helped her battle that particular day helped her to keep moving forward and not give up some of us would say you've got this Michelle we had some pretty special encounters together we would often walk in our neighborhood or take Walter to the secret place and through many walking Adventures over the years I watched Michelle's Faith grow we talked about struggles pain we lamented unanswered prayer or prayer that just doesn't get answered in the timing we want or the way we want I loved her honesty and perspective and I'm missing her and we'll continue to miss her presence in my life and in our neighborhood I'm hoping that we can still do our neighborhood dinners remembering her sharing our stories of who she was to each one of us a few weeks ago I sat on a beach in South Carolina it was early morning and I could barely see the silhouette of the Surfers out in the water and ever so slowly the sun came up over the water and the whole Beach was alive I thought of Michelle Alexa put the Facebook picture um that you see behind of her on the beach I thought of M shelle's posture in that picture she almost appears to be leaping forward but gently looking back at her dear Alex in those moments i c cried I remembered I thought about her letting go this song by Mercy Me I Can Only Imagine filled my head the chorus goes like this surrounded by Your glory what will my heart feel will I Dance For You Jesus or in awe of you be still will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall will I sing Hallelujah or be able to speak at all I can only imagine as I continued to think of Michelle I could see her dancing small at first timid like a child but then a fullon leaping a dancing Beauty that's how I'll remember her in all the way she impacted my life all in Michelle passionate and purposeful painting with all the colors of the rainbow hi everyone um my name is Melissa and I've known Michelle for 25 years this September um I am so grateful for Michelle I met her 25 years ago September 1999 as we were matched up as roommates for our HMS year at bible college I remember seeing her for the first time at the Edmonton airport where she flew in from Brampton Ontario she was standing by the luggage kiosk and in Michelle fashion she she had on cute overall Jean bell bottoms 1999 um she had on a really colorful tank top her long fiery hair fell down fell down her back and with suitcase in one hand and guitar plastered with stickers in the other she stepped into the beginning of her Alberta life and from that day on our paths were intertwined how lucky was I Leon o and stats those are our maiden names Wildflower sisters forever as was written on one of her many notes that she gave me that I will forever reread the thing about Michelle that we all know is that she sought out the fun the joy filled things in life she embraced the light-hearted she is Auntie sha to my daughters Grace and Abby and there's a here she coined some nicknames for them um so she called Abby small fry and Grace medium fry and she the ring leader of fun called herself big fry reflecting on all things Michelle I am reminded of what a light she is not only in her expression of color art pom pom streamers and everything fairylights because it's all about the lighting but in her god-filled faith to dream big and put God first she loved Classic Movies Jane Austin impromptu dance parties butt slaps that's a story for another time uh and backyard fires with s'mores and sparklers she would have late night sleepover movie Nights with Grace and Abby uh and they would come back with an anti- shell party hangover but oh gosh what fun they had I remember so clearly when she put on her wedding dress for Grace's sixth birthday party and all the kids at the party sat on the floor in front of her while Michelle read The Paper Bag Princess she had this ability to cultivate Joy or silliness in the good times and in the difficult times I've learned a lot from Michelle she came up with the term Wild Flower sisters for leonenko and St sets one of her notes reads I wonder how Wild we can get and I think that is so Michelle it matches her spunky determined and untameable spirit and guys here's the thing I think she would want to tell us today that we are all in the wildf flower club and it's really important to have Wildflower club meetings top secret dream filled with some twinkle lights and some pom poms um so I guess I imagine that maybe this is the first meeting of top secret importance we are all wild flowers and wherever you are planted in your life I think we can all follow Michelle's lead in how she lived her life find joy in the moment that we're in take care of ourselves dream big and put God first I know that Michelle's Life and Legacy will continue to shine really bright as long as we all make packed to follow these top secret Club rules um I am forever grateful for Michelle thank you to all those who shared that was that was wonderful to hear we're going to go back to the slideshow now and uh hopefully it'll work the second time around never knew I could feel like this like I've never seen the sky before want to vanish inside your kiss every day I love you more and more Listen to My Heart can you hear it sing telling me to give you everything Seasons may change winter to Spring but I love you until the end all come on me come on me I will love you until my World seem such such a gra suddenly my life doesn't SA in such a way it all rolv around you and there's no mountain too high no River Too Sing up this song and I'll be there by your storm CLS May St but I love you I love you the end the end there's a rym and Rush these days where the lights don't move and the colors don't fade leavs you empty with nothing but dreams in a world call shallow in a world sometimes there things a man cannot know the gears won't turn and the leaves won't grow there's no place to run and no gasoline engine won't turn and the train won't leave engin won't turn and the train won't leave I will stay with you tonight hold you close to the morning the morning watch new day rise do whatever just to stay alive do whatever just to stay alive the way I feel is the way I ride like the thoughts of a man Li there is the truth and it's on our side Dawn is coming and open your look the new days rise now will wait for you tonight forever and you're by my side I've been waiting all my life fill your heart as it's keeping time do whatever just to stay alive coming open your eyes coming open your is coming your is coming open your eyes there's a Ry and Rush these days where the lights don't move and the colors don't fade leaves you empty with nothing but dreams in a world shallow in a world me but there is a truth and it's on our side Dawn is coming open your eyes look the Sun as a new days rise yes that's a very I'm AAL way to end that clip thank you to all those those who put the time and energy to put those together going to invite up Alex to share a letter he's written to Michelle come on up there go okay heads up there is a very good chance I'm going to knock my water bottle over thank you there's a lot of faces here that I recognize and there's faces that I don't recognize and that just shows Michelle's just who she is right it's um what a person what a person that we lost uh that slideshow um yeah come what may is that's that's the song that she walked down the aisle with when we got married and in the follow-up song There Jose Gonzalez stay alive comes from The Secret Life of Walter midi and that was the movie that Michelle and I watched the night before that she was hospitalized as her legs swelling and we're trying to as much as possible not be concerned and just you know enjoy the moment and it's such a great soundtrack in a great movie if you haven't seen it I do recommend it it's just somebody who's stuck in the Rut and they just they just step out of what their ordinary life is and they just go out and adventure and really that's that that movie Just encapsulate Michelle's life and then the the picture the last picture there that's Michelle running on Macker Bay it's on the aisle of Isa in Scotland and when we traveled to Scotland in 2019 Michelle wanted to visit as many beaches as possible and there is a lot of beautiful beaches in Scotland and maer Bay we just went there on a whim we had no idea what it looked like but she was just en raptured with it and the pictures that I took of her running back and forth you seen the dog have the zooms that was Michelle on that beach it was incredible it was a lovely picture and she's just going back and forth and and what I find that picture there so beautiful it's prophetic in a way and I never really you know you don't think about it at the time but she's just she's running Heaven word but she's looking back in gleeful anticipation that one day I will be joining her and I will I just don't know when that day is going to be but it's it's a beautiful picture so maer Bay and that's where her remains are going to be spread one of these days she's going to be home at the ocean Scotland was the second home to us and we were talking that if she beats his cancer Scotland's going to be our next our next house it's that's uh it's going to be take a different different home for her but thank you thank you everybody for coming out here um to celebrate Michelle uh many of you in person there people online as well just thank you to everyone who made today happen as well uh there's a lot of planning that went behind this there's a lot of behind the scenes uh Michelle's colleagues had the assembly line going with the gift bags what would have taken me many many hours took them half an hour so it's just um it it's it's just a microcosm of just a community that uh Michelle has been able to build over the years um just people coming out and supporting on June 14th 2021 my world Michelle's world had changed when the doctor at the surgeon emergency department told her that she had cancer we knew that day forward if Michelle was to have any chance of beating that cancer we needed all the help we can get and we received it received it from people who were close to us we received it from unlikely sources that we never expected help from you help by cooking meals you helped by taking care of our house and our pets you helped with the finances you helped as a shoulder to cry on or to create art with or a buddy to laugh with you sent cards and you wrote letters and thank you to those of you took care of me after Michelle passed away you cooked meals for me you invited me over you obliged my invitations when uh I invited you over to my place you checked in on me I have been blessed by your love friendship and Michelle and I we have been blessed by your love and friendship Michelle had an acute cancer it was a rare cancer it was stage 3C clear cell endometriosis related ovarian cancer and she knew that she needed more than the conventional treatment and she left no stone unturned and a lot of those stones cost a lot of money and we thank you for that help and this cancer needed all the help it could get she was hospitalized due to blood clots she suffered a major stroke in the hospital and she lived for eight days after that stroke and it's this it was a it was a substantial stroke and she did not go down without a fight at all she is as tough and resilient as they come she chose life to the very end and sadly the outcome for the Cure is not to be had I do think though that everything that she had done extended her life and gave her a better quality of life and I'm eternally grateful for you for that we all got to enjoy your presence more and to learn and be inspired for her more so thank you all right that wasn't even the eulogy yet you're going to want to sanitize us now Tim yeah okay it's going to be a chain reaction I hope you know like a one baby starts crying and then a bunch of others start crying so ladies and gentlemen have your Kleenex ready or maybe I'll make it through without crying but I don't think the odds are in that favor my dearest Michelle as I sit down and write this where do I begin small talk so you were concerned about this but no I have not been eating pizza every night a lot of people have been looking out for me and have made meals or invited me over for dinner have some of those meals been Pizza yes but I can count them on one hand so I I think it's okay right I've been on stained Duty a couple times and you know what I've done all right for myself I just ask what would Michelle do she wouldn't mash it in that's for sure as able to get the food stains off the patio sofa and they were not my stains if you can believe it I also spilt food on my new shorts of course I did and I had success in removing those stains too and one of your worst nightmares is also happening I leave the bedroom door open and Bob the cat is loving the free access to the bedroom Bob and I are both adjusting to the quietness of the house now that you and Walter are no longer there she's been extra cuddly and she sleeps beside me every night it's not the same with you gone plants your plants are still alive I had an idea of what to do but thankfully I found some notes I was watering them a little too much but not by much the lipstick plant is blooming again I'm looking forward to seeing the flowers I've also been able to find things that I've misplaced and Jamie you'll get the good kick out of that because we talked about that all the time me losing stuff sometimes I find them really quick sometimes not so quick I have to rely on myself now and that is a daunting task but I am managing there's one item that I have not found yet see I sold the Impala brought the license plate back to bring it to the registry I cannot find the license plate for the life of me just can't remember where it is so I've just kind of given up and then sometime maybe it will show up it's uh yeah I'm on my own I was forgot about that fake rubber dog turd when I put it away I found some of your jewelry I was in the drawer and some boxes and I put the dog turd with them uh why I don't know but I think you had something to play with that I went back for those jewelry boxes and I gave myself a bit of a surprise I forgot about it and yeah Michelle I will give you credit for this one I cherish the running prank of hiding that turd on each other it was a nice treat to get that surprise as much as finding a fake realistic dog turret is and I love the anticipation of waiting for you to find it when it was your turn you loved pranks and it was great to have that experience with you I miss you and not a day goes by that I do not shed a tear there are some days there are more tears than others there is no way to prepare for this but I'm adapting we all are we're experiencing grief with different relationships that we had with Michelle Michelle you and I were surrounded with love and support before your diagnosis throughout your care cancer diagnosis and after 21 years ago we exchanged vows to be United as one in marriage we solemnly vowed to be husband and wife to have to hold from that day forward For Better or For Worse for richer for poor sickness and health and to cherish each other until we were parted by death I did not expect our journey to be cut short this soon and boy were we awkward when we first met and started to date it made great stories though and those stories I will continue to share and some of you have shared in those laughters and have agreed that yes it's a wonder how Michelle and I survived each other when we were dating but we did we made it work we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into when we were read but really who does know what they're getting themselves into when they get married right like I said we made it work our marriage was a part partnership and we were together side by side For Better or For Worse richer and poor in sickness and in health we gave each other all our our respect our appreciation our tears our laughs our bodies and our souls we were truly one we hurt each other but we could forgive and move on we celebrated each other's victories we were lovers and smitten with each other we gave each other the freedom to be ourselves and pursue our dreams and interests even better when those dreams were shared we learned how to make our marriage work as well as these important words to say I'm sorry thank you and I love you you were worried that I forget about you that will be impossible possible our lives are so intertwined that you will be part of me forever I look at it all the faces and we have been impacted by you Michelle I'm sure I'm not the only one asking the questions why you why did you have to get cancer why did you have to die so young I will never be able to answer these questions what I do know is this you lived a Wonderful Life and because of that you will not be forgotten you'll not fade you will live on through all of us through our children and through our children's children see you wanted to live each day to the fullest you never settled you would not accept an answer unless you understood what was asked or described to you fully you would not accept that life is all about getting a job buying a home having the two kids and spending the evenings watching TV you wanted more and you lived that out without that attitude and spirit we would have never dropped everything to volunteer in Scotland even when the camp was gaining momentum you wanted to experience Disneyland and you would not let that cancer stop you thank you for that and for all the memories you help create and thank you for all the memories you helped create for all of us you are an inspiration to many you are determined to be the V version of yourself think about all your failures with a rope climb at the Spartan Race you viewed the failures as an opportunity to learn and to succeed and you did my most favorite memory of any run we did is when you finally successfully climbed that rope you were full of joy you were proud of yourself and so was I it was a sacred moment and an inspiration you cared for the wounded and the broken you showed compassion to those who were scared and lonely you picked a profession of a junior high teacher many of us in this room are probably wondering why and those that are junior high teachers you know why it's the kids that's a role that requires a special breed of person you're not intimidated by this age group but you rather embrace the wildness that this age brings you helped your students discover more about themselves during a time when they needed director Direction and mentorship you're genuine and you cared not only did you help your students navigate through dark Waters you also there for your friends even during your darkest moments you still took the time to reach out to others and encourage them and to be with them you will not fade Into Obscurity I miss you I miss your voice I'm thankful for videos like that one that was shown where I can just watch that over and over again so when I forget your voice I can hear it again and laugh with the joy you're experiencing in that moment I miss your laugh I miss miss your tears your dancing and your pranks I'm pretty sure James misses your pranks as well and now your dental flossers that you would leave behind everywhere and not pick up and put in the garbage be a dental flosser in a Sentry console in the car it's a disgusting place we all have a center console but you you said said I might use it again one day we knew you wouldn't we also knew that you had a husband that would clean them up after you I'm still finding them but they're like treasure now and I leave them where I find them so if you have a partner who has some habits that annoy you just cherish them please cherish everything about them and make sure that they cherish everything about you and your habits as well it goes both ways the house feels empty without you but my heart is full I am thankful for the time we could spend together not only that the past 23 years but especially maximizing the past three and a half it was tough but we made the most of our opportunities and we lived a full life together and you've lived a far Fuller life in your 45 than most can in their 90 you have sounded your barbaric ypp all over our lives you could not be tamed you could not be translated your colorful fashion is a testament to that you yelled your barbaric yop over the roofs of the world and found your voice you helped others find their voice too you may have departed from this world but your barbaric yop has not I think it is fitting that we release our own to find our voice like you found yours but also to express our appreciation for who you are and the impact you have had on our lives Michelle I love you and I always will I look forward to seeing you again once again whenever that day may be meow meow Alexander and before Tim comes up to uh to share a quick message we are going to do a barbaric ypp just in case anybody happens to be falling asleep now you're going to wake up good chance for us to stretch our legs as well we're going to stand up Michelle would do this with some of her classes and I've asked I've asked students that I've met and none of them done the barbaric yop so uh maybe we're all doing it for the very first time and I think we're going to have to do it more than once because what's going to happen people are going to think well if others are yelling I don't have to yell so loud so you're going to do a Meek that's why we're going to do it more than once think of this first one is a warm up get a little bit of confidence going and you're going to do for yourself you're going to do it for Michelle but you're going to do it for yourself okay find your voice we're going to scream to the rooftops We Can't Be Tamed we're going to scream our barbaric yop and if you think you need to cover your ears go right ahead I don't judge I'm going to count us one and a two and a three are we ready let's go after three I will say three and then we will go thank you yeah channeling the inner Michelle got to ask the questions got to make sure okay and one and two and three I think we nailed it on the first time okay well you may be seated then when he told me that we were going to do a yop I wanted to remind our sound text to both mute my mic and his which thankfully they got but what a reflection of her tenacity and her vivacious way of life which we have been reflecting on here together when I got to know them both Michelle already had she had had had cancer at that time I remember one of the first the times I met them I had grown to know it to know Alex because he was the president the president of the Edgmont Community league and we had connected and then we had a we had a service here on our lawn and they biked and they biked over and got to know them both and very quickly her love of life was very very clear Michelle was eager to share the hope that was in her even though she went through excruciating pain and challenges while she was imperfect just like all of us she modeled a life transformed by Jesus a life of love that did not ignore the reality of her own pain but saw within the context of God's incredible love and Redemptive plan for all creation through the last few years of her life Psalm 23 was one she turned to again and again and it was highlighted in her her journal Psalm 23 starts this way the Lord is my shepherd I lack sorry not nothing when the psalm was written thousands of years ago it was written by a man who looked after sheep he later became a king but in his early years did did David looked after sheep he knew their name for that is what a Shepherd did a Shepherd knew the name of his sheep he loved his sheep David was revealing to us a God Not absent from our Brokenness and our sorrow but a God who is intimate with us intimate enough to know our name and scripture says to know the hairs on our head Psalm 232 and3 read he makes me lie down in Green Pastures he leads me beside Quiet Waters he refreshes my soul he guides me along the right paths for his name's sake in his care for us he leads us if we are willing to follow his gentle his leading we are directed away from the places and the things that while look attractive will will destroy our souls as we rest in him we experience a renewal a refreshing that allows us to experience Joy even when circumstances around us are dire that was one thing that amazed me about Michelle was her Joy even though she was in the midst of the Valley of the shadow of death she did not fear because she was being replenished and renewed through Jesus Christ verse four says even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff they they comfort me Michelle walked through a valley of the shadow of death and while she did sadly pass away she did not fear she she fought valiantly knowing that ultimately she was in God's hand who through Jesus Christ has defeated sin and death and walks with us in these times God joins us in the Valley of the shadow of death this is why she like the Apostle Paul could say oh death where is thy sting oh grave where is thy Victory but thanks be to God who gives us the the the Victory through Lord our Lord Jesus Christ not that death and the suffering we go through in this life are not hard and heartbreaking but they have lost the final word Jesus through his crucifixion and his re his resurrection now defines our destiny you too are walking through a valley of the shadow of death the death of a relationship the death of future plans and dreams that you had with and and and amelle but you are reminded here that you do not need to fear for even though you are in the Valley of the shadow of death You are not alone for God is there with you present with your struggle present with your grief that's one thing that amazes me about the person of Jesus Christ it's not a god who is up there absent from our reality but God knows what it means to mourn what it means to weep what it means to lose for he entered into our world into our Brokenness verse five beautifully shows this you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with with oil and my cup overflows in these final verses of the psalm we are reminded of the unexpected ways God cares for us during this time when the psalm was written the host did not prepare the uh Feast that's what the servant of the house did but here it is God who actually prepares the feast God doesn't care about pretense he cares about presence God cares about being present with us about being true to his word the cup would always be filled by the servant but here it is God who serves us and anoints us and where is the table set not in a place of comfort and ease but in the presence of threat and pain and danger we have a we have a creator that in the person of Jesus Christ entered our world of Brokenness and offers us a path of healing and renewal himself and we grieve today and as we grieve today we know the hope as we trust in God grief and hope are not opposed but come together in faith this is why David ends the psalm with a reminder that God is present and he is our ultimate hope and our and our our our death Destiny verse 6 says surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever today we mourn we we celebrate and we hold hope all at the same time we mourn the passing of Michelle yet celebrate her life and now her peace and healing with Christ we look forward to the resurrection to come in which all who are in Christ will be transformed with bodies that cannot perish that will not suffer that will not feel pain Michelle is now at peace with Jesus Christ dwelling in his presence maybe dwelling is too soft a word probably yapping and dancing and running circles at rest awaiting the day when all will be made new when all will be reded redeemed When Heaven and Earth becomes one when the bodily the resurrection will occur bodies without without can cancer without suffering or struggle then we will be United to those who have gone ahead who have followed Christ I'm going to invite the band up at this time it is to this hope that we cling together as we grieve we do not grieve as those who have no hope but we grieve no knowing that there will be a time again where we can yell our barbaric yop alongside of her when we can dance with her because we who are in Christ will be United again Michelle loved to sing as we've heard and Christmas as well and so special request we're going to be singing uh a song that is Laden with hope and expectancy so we're going to sing together I'm dreaming of a white Christmas and this was dictated and so we're going to sing this song reminding ourselves of the hope and expectancy and her love of Christmas as well so I encourage you to stand up as we sing this now together we sort of have to get into the Christmas spirit I feel like it's going to take a little bit to to get there so I feel like you know Christmas in July there was like those those Hallmark movies on a while ago but I feel like you have to maybe tell the person next to you to say Merry Christmas Merry Christmas I'm dreaming of a wi Christmas just like the ones I used to know where the tree blisten and children listen to he SL bels in the snow I'm dreaming of a Christmas with every Christmas C may your taste be mer and right and may all your Christmases be we're going to s sing it again that's right I dreaming of a Christmas just like the ones I used to know where the tree TOs and children listen to hear say bells in the snow dreaming of a one Christmas with every Christmas card i r may your days be Mary and and may all your Christmases be well I think that's got to be first but Michelle was that kind of person a lot of Firsts unconventional full of life and now she is at rest awaiting the time when all will be made new when all will be made right as we conclude our time together I invite you to time to stay for a time of connection and Remembrance both our hope and our grief is best held in Community as we remember together let's pray God I thank you for the time that we've had here I thank you for who Michelle was and is God I thank you that this is not the end but we will see her again for death and sin has lost its final word Jesus now holds that and Lord I pray as we grieve as we go from here and particular necessarily for Alex and for her family as Christmases come and go as family times come and go and her memory is present as they grieve again and again may your spirit of comfort rest on them may they be ministered to by your Holy Spirit and the Community of Faith and God as they as they and we grieve and go through the valley of the shadow of death we thank you that you Journey with us that we are not alone Lord we pray that your spirit would rest on us now as we eat as we drink coffee as we share memories as we laugh and cry together may you be do a healing work in our midst we commit her to you may she rest in peace and rise in glory in the name of the Father the Son and the spirit amen go in peace I but like a flame that burns the candle the candle Fe the flame and what I got full stop I thought some dreams to scatter when you pull them all together and I can explain oh yeah where you you make my dreams come true well well well you oh yeah you makeing my dream so true yeah on a night bed scream when the mess with the dream I can laugh it in the face shout my way out and W yourself around me cuz I the way you found me and I never be the same oh yeah well call you to make my dream come true W you make a of dreams come true yeah listen to this I'm down that sleep be over by now I know yeah you make my dreams come true oh yeah I'm waiting for waiting for you girl oh yeah yeah you making my Dre true waiting for for you girl you my wo I've been waiting for you girl racing towards the wall at the speed of sound my time has been so fin but I've never soy beond I just need a bit of Rel like a war we Soldier Maring up and over the edge take my hand and pull me up cuz I'm falling too Fastow I've lost my way I'm crying save me can you hear me I'm calling out I'm crying out a cry for love I can feel you you're touching me you killing me my cry I will be the first to admit I don't have streng to do it alone anymore I don't have to don't have to explain all my worry in vain I'm not alone anymore why is so hard to believe what is to fre receive like changing of Seasons this is the beauty of the word and for all that I have seen and heard oh I want to come home somehow I'll make my way my way home to you can you hear me I'm calling out I'm crying out a cry for love I can feel you you're touching me you're healing Me My Cry father oh Father my call I know you catch me when I fall oh I pray that you hold me now hold me feel way cry I know that you can me hear me crying out for love oh I know that you can feel my cry for love I can you calling crying I can feel you oh you touching me you're healing me c oh I cry for I know that you can he me here me cry down love I know that you can feel my cry love I feel I can feel you America is essentially a dream it is a dream of a land where men of all Races of all nationalities and of all Creeds can live together as brothers was it it go wasn't in a New England coast wasn't it the standing people praying to the and father and the holy ghost that they are by their creat one nation over God with certain inalienable is that what we've now become that among these are fathers left the nobley to the son look at what we've done break break down break down as we learn to can that tries to feed us break down break down break down if we say that we are free who will believe us if we break down break down break down break down break see the on the glass see the pillow on the street see the CH of a modern love with no obligations but promises made s I hear the fear of disease I hear the baby never more hear a people crying out somebody save us oh please somebody save us from what we're it for for get it for break down break down break down as we learn about can that tries to feed us break down break down break down if we say that we are free who will believe us we break down break down break down as we learn to again break the American dream reminds us that every man is the air of the legacy of yet ever since the founding fathers of our nation freeing this dream America has been to use the big word that the psychologist and the psychiatrist use a schizophrenic personality Al to the flag of the United States of America and to theic break down break down break down as we learn to it tries to beat break down break down break down if we say that we are free who will us we break down break down break down as we learn to again it tries to Beed us break down break down break down if we say this we are free who will believe us if we break yeah break break yeah break down break down break down if we say it we are free who to break this is a way of staring the American dream we noce people who to exercise our citizenship right being thr to jail this is a way of staring we can hear the of a little IM cry from the Russian wers of Mississippi this is a way of starving the dream