The town of Stromsburg Nebraska, population 1,171, is a sweet little place, full of pretty houses and manicured lawns and a cute little downtown that reflects its Swedish heritage.  It’s a small, close knit farming community with traditional values and a simple lifestyle.  Our trip this morning was a somber one as it was to support a friend who lost his mother at the age of 93.

Just like the rest of town, the pretty little church was well taken care of, with it’s beautiful wooden ceiling and colorful stained class windows depicting stories from the Bible.  The wood pews were polished and well maintained and the decor was simple.  The focus after all was on God, not on the church itself.  We sat with friends and for a while we were just about the only ones in the sanctuary.  My thoughts turned to my parents’ funerals, my dad’s especially, where very few people attended, partly because of his age, but partly because he just didn’t get close to very many people.

The pastor arrived and soon the organ was playing as the family entered, quickly filling one entire side of the church.  Sons, daughter-in-laws, a son-in-law, brothers, a sister, grandchildren, nieces and nephews all filed in to say goodbye to someone who had obviously been very special.  Betty Nielsen had been a farmer’s wife for over 70 years and had raised four boys.  One of those boys is a great friend of mine, and if he is any indication of her nurturing abilities, she raised men who are kind, respectful and think of others over self.

A poem was read about a farmer’s wife, highlighting the simple life of family, service, faith and thankfulness.  Although I did not know her personally, I got the impression that she was practical, that she didn’t feel the need to have a high profile career or fancy fashion to be happy.  She seems to have made the decision to just BE happy, to enjoy the life she had chosen and be thankful for it.  Her love for others was obvious in the number of people who showed up to pay their respects today.

There were three hymns chosen for the service,  “How Great Thou Art”, “In the Garden” and “Amazing Grace” – praise, prayer and thankfulness.  I believe one of the things that happens during funerals is that you take time to evaluate your own life and ask yourself if your priorities are in the right place.  Am I spending time praising, in prayer and being thankful?  Or am I wasting time I could be spending with God and family, focused on myself and my “busyness”?

I believe most of us crave simplicity in our lives but very few of us are willing to let go of some things to attain that simplicity.  Some of us need to let go of things, others need to let go of busyness and still others need to let go of self.  Simplicity doesn’t just happen.  It won’t just happen when you retire or if you get another job or if you decide to move out to the country.  Simplicity is changing priorities, changing your lifestyle, changing yourself.  Simplicity is harder than it looks.

Maybe not all are called to a life of simplicity.  Maybe it’s only for those special few who are here to teach us what could be.