Last week, I had the privilege of sharing in one of the most poignant and beautiful life celebrations I have ever experienced. My dad's first cousin Elbert went to be with the Lord and his unembalmed natural body was laid in a lovingly handmade casket to rest in a small country cemetery just a short walk from his home.

His entire life, Elbert had been a man of the land, a nature buff who strived toward self-sufficient living from the earth God created.  Elbert spent most of his life outdoors... collecting maple sap and cooking it into syrup, growing heirloom vegetables to eat, encouraging and enjoying wildlife living around him. So this simple earthly farewell orchestrated by his adoring family was perfect.

After Elbert's death on Friday, his family poured their grief into preparing for the celebration of his life. Elbert's sons spent hours together building a simple yet beautiful pine casket. They lovingly dug the grave together. A lot of healing takes place working together like this, and through the sound of hammers and clank of shovels, laughter was mixed with tears on the sawdust-coated faces of the five children he left behind. Memories were shared and all were reminded that family is everything here on earth. Family was a huge part of Elbert's legacy.

And so they came, those closest to the family braving the cold December Indiana morning to come together to say good-bye.

His widow, Wilma, flanked by Mama on her left, and my sister Barb and her daughter Lisa on the right, with one last look at the body of the man she's loved and shared her life with for 65 years. Even though the past few years the husband she knew and loved was slowly fading away as Alzheimer's ravaged his mind, it is still heart-wrenching to say that final good-bye.

A simple yet stunning hand-crafted pine box...

...atop which were affixed the lyrics of a song Elbert had written about his Savior.

I love these two precious women, Mama and Wilma, the dearest of friends for over 60 years, both having hopelessly watched Alzheimer's steal the men they love and ultimately make them widows. I'm so very glad they have each other and that I have them both!

Pastor Brian, of the local Brethren church, read from the King James Bible some traditional and familiar passages. Faith. Love. Charity. Humility. All qualities that defined Elbert's life here on earth.

Closing the service with words I've heard so many times in my life, yet still bring tears to my eyes.

"In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our brother Elbert; and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him and be gracious unto him and give him peace. Amen."

The children nailed the casket lid closed...

...and slowly and carefully it was lowered into the earth.

No concrete vault. No fanfare.

Earth to earth. 

I found out something new about my family. My Aunt Raellen is the one who got Elbert and Wilma to begin dating so many years ago. So much history between these two!

Finally, family members young and old began covering the grave together.

Ashes to ashes.

Life for all of us must come to an earthly end, and I can't think of a more fitting farewell for this dear man in our family.

Dust to dust.