Evan had officiated at four funerals so far in December. The interval between Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed to be a time when old souls chose to depart. It was almost as if they didn’t want to be a bother to their families during the holidays. Or perhaps they had no families — or none who were close or welcoming — and the prospect of feeling isolated during the festive time was just too grim to bear.
Apparently, Granny Longacre had been cremated, and Evan wondered whether the choice was hers or her daughter’s. In his experience, it seemed the young folks thought returning quickly to ashes to be the greener way, requiring less or perhaps no real estate for a plot, and it was certainly less expensive. But traditional Baptist doctrine teaches resurrection of the body. In days gone by, so
