Mitchell Wayne Ferguson, Sr. - Memorial Serice

John 11:32-37

Central Baptist Church—Lowesville, VA

21 October 2007

We gather here today to honor the memory and celebrate the life of Mitch Ferguson. A brief service cannot do justice to a lifetime of relationship, struggle, victory, accomplishment, and the lives touched by the passing of another. We come together, however, to begin the process of letting go of one we can no longer hold present in our midst.

Grief is a selfish and strange animal. We do not grieve for Mitch. We grieve for ourselves. We grieve over what we have lost: a son, brother, father, grandfather, nephew, cousin, friend, companion, the opportunities that still might have been, the dreams that are no longer possible, the things left unsaid and undone, and the ways our lives are lessened by the passing of this other. In our grief, we are reminded of that fleeting quality of our existence we normally try so hard to ignore. We are forced to reflect on our own mortality, as well as that of others we also hold dear.

In the midst of our grief, we pause to reflect on the meaning Mitch gave to our lives. We consider the hole left behind in his death, and how we can treasure the gift of his life as we mend the tear in our own existence. Life, after all, is filled with its struggles, just as it is filled with its joys, victories, and moments of celebration. We walk through life in all its varied experiences. In all of them we are granted the opportunity for peace, comfort, and security in God’s constant care.

“Footprints in the Sand”
One night I had a dream. I dreamed
I was walking along the beach with the LORD,
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life
for each scene I noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand; one set belonged
to me, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of my life flashed before us
I looked back at the footprints in the sand
and I noticed that many times along the path of
life there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me, so I
questioned the LORD about it
“LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way.
But I've noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there's only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why in times when
I needed you most you should leave me.”
And the LORD replied:
“My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering,
when you saw only one set of footprints in the sand
it was then that I was carrying you.”

Mitch was ready to leave this life. He spoke of his desire to be reunited with his mother, to let go of the struggles he faced in this world. While he was ready to move on, he leaves sadness in the wake of his passing in the lives of many he touched with his presence and love.

One of Mitch’s greatest loves was music. He used his rich bass for years in a band, a quartet, and in the choir here at Central. In his singing, he found a contentment and joy he loved to pass on to others. Regardless of encouragement to take the band to Nashville, he wanted to share his enjoyment of music locally. Rather than recognition, he sought to celebrate life and love in song. Some of his sacred favorites spoke of God’s presence, care, and grace.

As Jesus talked with Mary and Martha, he reassured them that Lazarus would once again live. No one discounted that reality, and yet Jesus was found moved by Lazarus’ death, even as he was preparing to bring him back to life. Jesus’ tears and words of comfort spoke of the reality of grief even in the midst of hope. Hope does not rule out our pain, yet it gives strength to carry on.

Mitch enjoyed celebrations and gatherings with family. April Fool’s Day and Halloween found him thoroughly engaged. He would call family with serious tales about supposed crises facing loved ones. So and so needed bailing out of jail, someone else had overdrawn their bank account, or Deanie was preparing to shoot him. Some of the family were leery of approaching his house on Halloween, fearing what Mitch would have rigged to jump out at them. Amid all the fun, it was gathering with family that made life worth while to Mitch.

He loved his family, he loved animals. He was not above bringing a rooster into the house, reviving a cold, newly-hatched chick with the microwave and warm breath, or attending to an injured dog. He was often over to see Doris for first aid supplies after attempting veterinary duties, but that did not stop him. As a youngster on a squirrel hunt, Wayne was concerned he might grab an injured squirrel and be found by a squirrel’s teeth in the process.

Mitch enjoyed the outdoors, hunting, and fishing. Years back he worked with the R.A.’s at Central, taking them out on camping and fishing trips. He and Nancy worked with the youth for some time, sharing of their love and experience. Family knew that something was not right when he gave up these pursuits. Something was taken out of Mitch when his mother passed away. When he was no longer able to continue employment with the telephone company, his sense of purpose seemed eroded.

Mitch was one for doing things. He was not much of a fix-it man, but he would give it his best effort when Wayne had to be away. He excelled with telephone repair, however. He knew that job and gave it his best effort, scaling frigid towers in the middle of a winter night’s storm for the satisfaction of making a difference.

Growing up, Mitch looked out for his little sister. None of her dates would quite measure up to his standards. While the constant refrain of “He’s not good enough” grated on a sister’s nerves, she loved it just the same. It spoke of his care and concern. He loved his family and attending his children’s events. Later on, he began to feel uncomfortable with crowds, but being among family was always important for him. Whether it was singing or just holding onto a new baby, he loved being with his family.

Mitch had his share of problems, as do we all. He did not always know how to handle the stress he felt in life. His problems did not keep others from recognizing his love and care for them, however. Amid his struggles, he endeared himself to many as he did throughout his life. He touched many lives with his constant will to help and care for others.

Mitch grew up with music. He learned to play his guitar and sing most anything by ear. His bass voice was known throughout the area. His mother would often sing a special song to her children. Mitch picked it up to sing to his own children as well. It speaks of God’s constant offer of forgiveness and newness of life. May we so find ourselves saturated in God’s offer of forgiveness and eternal fellowship.

—©2007 Christopher B. Harbin