EULOGY FOR MEAGAN LEN HOLDER

We’re here today to remember Meagan Holder. This part of a funeral service is called a Eulogy. That is a Greek word that basically means, “Good Words”. There is no end to the good words I can say about Meagan. What a remarkable young lady. This afternoon, I’m certain that every person here has memories of her, but I want to share about three things that I loved about Meagan: Her heart, her hands and her home.

Meagan’s heart was one of the first things I learned about her: it had a hole in it. Not long after we met, I found myself traveling with Larry to Ft. Worth where Meagan was to have open heart surgery. That is a big deal for anybody, but especially for a 13 year old. I remember that she was very brave. We went into the area where she was being prepped for surgery and she joked about having a broken heart, but that it was going to be fixed. We tried to break the nervousness with some humor, prayed for her and then waited. Jeremy and I watched movies on a portable DVD player.

That was just the first occasion I had to learn about Meagan’s heart. As I got to know her, it became apparent to me that she had a big heart in the metaphorical sense as well. I learned that she was full of encouragement and kindness. She took her role as big sister VERY seriously and made abundantly clear that she was the only one allowed to pick on Jeremy. We spent time talking about her friends and her family and doing projects at church. She loved to joke and act silly until the moment I pulled out a camera. It took forever to get her to help out with a youth group video we were making. Meagan had a heart for things like basketball and softball. Despite her heart condition, she LOVED to play. She had a heart for her family and deeply loved them. Looking around this gym today, I can tell that the way she cared about people made an impact on them. Your presence here today is a comfort to her family and a testament to her heart.

Another thing I remember about Meagan is her hands. She was good with her hands. I will readily admit that my basketball skills are lacking, but Meagan was awesome. I admired the way she could handle the ball and follow through on her shots. I remember that even though it wasn’t always cool, she’d sometimes hold hands with her brother. I also remember that she had a nervous habit of biting on her nails. For a while, it was kind of a joke, when I’d catch her with her hand to her mouth, biting on her nails. Funny the things you remember. For instance, I remember that Meagan is 8 bananas tall. There is a story behind that one, too.

Finally, I remember that Meagan was conflicted about her home. I say conflicted because I think she loved being from Desdemona. She liked to talk about growing up and moving away, but I think that her roots ran deep. She liked Hogtown. She liked the hometown rivalries. But I was glad to know that she had a deeper understanding of home. In fact, it is the thing that we most had in common. She knew that her ultimate home was with God. Meagan’s faith was strong from when I first met her. Unlike most 13 year olds, she had faced the question of her own mortality because of her heart condition. When we first held her hand and prayed with her in the hospital, I was sure of her heart, her hands and her home. And so was she.

For the past few days, since I heard the terrible news, I have struggled with how to make sense of it all. I want to take just a minute to talk about the feelings we’re all wrestling with this afternoon.

There is sadness, certainly. On some level there is joy, but mostly sadness. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that you know how anybody else is feeling right now. The feelings will be different for each person here. But one thing we all have in common is that we cared about Meagan. We love her. And that is why we’re hurting today. I ran across this quote, “There is no love without loss.” In other words, if we love someone, we will ultimately lose them. And it hurts. We hurt deeply because we love deeply.

That quote sounds good until you put it in an eternal perspective. Meagan is not lost to us. Those of us who share in Christ, share in her home. If anything, you might say that we are lost to her, until we are called home, as she was.

Meagan’s family was important to her.

Meagan’s friends were important to her.

Ultimately, it is all about relationships we have. They are all that matter. But what matters most is having a relationship with Christ. And that is why, in the middle of all this sadness, there is also joy.

Meagan had a relationship with the Son of God, the creator of the universe. He owned her heart, he holds her hands, he called her home.

I can’t pretend to understand why it happened the way it did, I won’t try to explain it. Meagan was loved not only by her family, not only by her friends. She was a child of God, and He loves her, too.

I am proud to know the Holders and to have known Meagan. I admit that many of you probably know her better than I do, but I’d like to close by offering this description of herself. Meagan wrote this on her MySpace page:

If you could describe yourself, what would you say:

El nombre es Meagan;

you can call me "Meag" I am graduating in 4 months, and it can't get here any faster! I'm ready to be in the real world! I'm working my hardest to make something of myself. I am who I am, and I'm not going to change. I laugh too much && I talk too loud.,,but my friends love me anyway.♥ I'm a big fan of the DALLAS COWBOYS. I believe in God,,& i know that everything happens for a reason.. My little brother means the world to me, I would be lost with out him. I have a nickname for everyone. I'm not a morning person,& I like to talk trash if you wake me up early. I try to be honest, but i'm an expert at hiding my feelings. I believe that bad things happen in order to make us stronger.I forgive, but i NEVER forget. I believe everyone deserves a second chance. And sometimes a third..and fourth. i'm an outgoing person, & there's probably not a person i wouldn't like to meet. i love to make new friends, it's one of my top priorities=]]. i don't hold grudges, because life is WAY TOO SHORT to worry about being mad at someone. sometimes i feel like the world is too much,,but i just keep on truckin'. i try my hardest to live life like there might be no tomorrow. i love elvis,, he's my numero uno superstar. i've had my heart broken too many times, but i keep learning from my experiences. i am who i am, and that's all i can be.

Let’s close with a prayer.