PEOPLE ASK ME HOW I CAN DO THE JOB I DO. WELL MAYBE IT ISN'T A JOB, BUT A CALLING, MAKING SURE THAT THE LAST MEMORY A FAMILY HAS OF A LOVED ONE IS A GOOD ONE. HERE IS A COPY OF A POEM THAT HANGS IN MY MOM'S OFFICE
AN EMBALMER'S HAND
God gave us hands to use for Him, to use in different ways. Doctors use their hands to bring life into the world and to maintain life as long as possible. Artists use their hands to capture life on canvas. Authors use their hands to give shape to their creative ideas.
But you, the embalmer, take that with which life has gone, and attempt to work miracles, and you do. You have no life with which to work, but you are expected to make your masterpiece lifelike. Family and friends pass by and inspect your work, not knowing how many hours were spent, nor understanding the agonizing heart that went into the masterpiece which you have created.
You know that in a few short hours your masterpiece will return to mother earth, never again to be viewed by mortal eyes. Yet you must go on, another day, another masterpiece. You cannot rise in the morning and say, "I think I will write another chapter in my book today," or "I think I will work on my picture today."
When you rise you can say, "God gave me hands and a job to do, a job that is different than that of my friends. God gave me a special job to do. Today I am going to take that which authors write about, artists paint, and doctors work hard to keep alive. I am going to create another masterpiece today.
Together, God and I. Yes, my masterpiece will return to mother earth, but God's masterpiece, man's soul, can live forever. I am an embalmer using my hands for God."
~Unknown
