Eulogy Bernice Simmons 2/14/2008
There is a song that tells the story behind the smile you often saw on Bernice Simmons’ face. The words were, “What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see, when I look upon his face, the one who saved me by his grace, what a day, glorious day that will be.” That smile on her face as been fulfilled; now she has been able to look upon the face of Jesus Christ
That smile was on her face because she believed the promise of Jesus when he said, “let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me. In my father’s house are many mansions. I am going away to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may know where I am.” Brothers and sisters, Sister Simmons knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that heaven was going to be her final resting place.
She knew it, because she knew Jesus. She understood that her mission in this world was to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. She was not here to represent her own interests, but rather to represent the one who sent her. We did not simply come into the world, we have all been sent on a mission to make a difference. The fact that all of us are here tonight is indicative on the difference Bernice Simmons made for the cause of Christ.
God knew her and fashioned her in her mother’s womb. He poured in gifts and talents, some already made and some that baked and cooked as time passed along. Out emerged this beautiful black woman. Her family described her as giving, straight forward, wise, lively, funny, happy, cheerful, courageous, energetic, fashionable, stylish, encouraging, dedicated, and humble.
Sister Simmons may have been short in stature, but she was solid steel when she had to be. She was going to tell you the truth as you needed to hear it.
But she knew how to combine truth with words of encouragement, being able to lift you out of some of your darkest moments. She had the air and dignity of a lady about her. There wasn’t anybody in Essence, Ebony or Jet, that could move with the grace and glide she had or could dress any more distinguished than she could. Sister Simmons had enough shoes to compliment any outfit in her wardrobe and probably yours as well. When I say she was beautiful lady full of grace and truth, I know what I’m talking about.
One guy that recognized that a long time ago was Lloyd Simmons. One of the best decisions that Simmons made in his life, was to set his eyes upon Bernice Darby. That decision led to a marriage, which led to five kids, which led to a lot of grandchildren, which led to even more great grandchildren. If nothing else, Lloyd and Bernice will get a reward for fulfilling one of the first commandments which was to replenish the earth. They have done that quite well.
Ms. Simmons was a dedicated and faithful wife, taking care of Lloyd Simmons when it was easy and when it was not. You know she had to have been a woman of perseverance and faith. Lloyd Simmons was one of the greatest friends I’ve had in my life, but that brother could be a little cantankerous at times, but Bernice remained saved, sanctified and full of the Holy Ghost in the midst of the cantankerousness.
Now for those of you who get into arguments the first year of your marriage do not despair. Ms. Simmons told me that she and Lloyd got into an argument as soon as they were coming down the courthouse steps. Yet they survived and were married for 53 plus years. Lloyd knew that he had a jewel of a woman in Bernice Simmons. He often bragged about her at our Men Who Excel meetings and how wonderful she had been to him down through the years. I would often tell him, “Simmons you need to go home and tell her some of the things you tell us about her.” I wanted to hit upside the head, because he’d respond “ahhh, she already knows it.”
Pastor Toby and I commend our sister for her faithfulness of being there for 53 years in marriage. Bernie and Lloyd lived out the meaning of the words for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part. Together they built a family, that’s been a blessing to many other people’s lives.
Now when it came to discipline, it was not the father the kids feared, but their mother. She was determined to instill within them a solid work ethic and the desire to take care of themselves. She put new richness and meaning into the word chores. When she said wash the dishes that was just a code word for cleaning the dishes, the refrigerator, the counters, the oven, the baseboard and the floors. If you could clean according to her specifications, you could get a job cleaning anywhere.
If you needed a whipping, this little woman knew how to give it, and for heaven sakes you had better not run away, because judgment day was going to come. She was a mother who loved her children enough to say this is right and this is wrong, and this is the consequence for doing right and this is the consequence for doing wrong.
There were times when the kids thought they had the meanest mother in the world, but it was balanced by seeing that all the kids wanted to come to their house, because she was the neighborhood mom. Her heart was so big, that even with their family, they also took in foster kids in addition to babysitting most of the neighbor’s kids on the streets.
Bernice let her kids know that she believed in them and wanted them to be prepared for whatever opportunity might present itself. She saw to it that the girls had ballet, violin, piano lessons and more. She let her kids and grandkids know, her family’s history and how they had come from a stock of people who were not just survivors but more than conquerors.
Never has there been a group of kids who held their mother in higher esteem than her kids did her. She taught them how to manage money, how to face adversity, and how to make the most of the one pot meal.
By the time the grandkids came along, Sister Simmons had softened even more, and they thought she was the sweetest woman that ever lived and just as nice as could be. Asa said she was always encouraging you and loving you, and shecould see beyond your actions. She just accepted you and was so non judgmental.
Her great grandchild, said she was nice and always helped you if you got in trouble at school. Jasmine knew what it was like to have a grandmother at her school who would go behind her back and praise her to the teachers and staff. Sister Simmons just had a spirit of encouragement about her.
One of the things Sister Simmons would not allow herself to do was to get old. She was a bowler for years with trophies to show for it. When a group of kids got together for a kickball game, she was there ready to play. She got so involved in one kickball game that she broke here ankle playing. But that still didn’t end her kickball career.
If somebody was playing jacks, she was ready to join in. When her kids started having kids, and turned her into a grandmother, she was not that excited about the title “Grandma”. She told her grandchildren, “look I’m too young to be a grandmother, so you can just call me Honey.” She looked for things to keep her mind sharp and attentive. It could be crocheting, sewing, macromeing, designing floral arrangements or playing solitaire. She kept up with searching for clues on the Forensic Files and CSI.
But To understand what made Bernice Simmons such an awesome and incredible woman, you have to understand that one day she heard a call on her life and it changed her forever. She heard about a Savior named Jesus, who could save people from their sins and turn their lives around if they put their trust in him. She saw the need for a change and a Savior in her life and she said, no matter what I want to follow Jesus Christ.
Ms. Simmons had a lot of nice and beautiful things that this world had to offer, but nothing gave her more pleasure than being in the house of the Lord and serving as one of its door keepers. In her service for Christ, she was a church treasure, an assistant church administrator, a Sunday school teacher, a greeter and an alter worker.
She loved the job of being an usher. She wanted the worship service to flow smoothly and she wanted to do her part in helping the pastors have what they needed to preach during the service. She served as an usher her last Sunday in church. She also had a genuine heart for her pastors outside of the church because she wanted to be a blessing to the servants of the Lord. She had the gift of giving, the gift of faith, the gift of helps, the gift of encouragement and the gift of hospitality.
She carried a humble spirit inside of her when it came to the things of God. This past December, the nominating committee called to nominate her for the position of deacon. She was wrestling with making a decision as to whether to be on the ballot as not. She called me on the phone, and said, but I just don’t think I’m qualified. I told her, as your pastors we see the gifts in you and we passed your name on to the nominating committee.
She said, “I appreciate that very much that you have that confidence in but I still feel as though I’m not quite ready. Would it be okay for me to wait until next year and have them consider me then. I said, “ms. Simmons it’s fine that you take the responsibility seriously, and yes it is okay for you to wait another year.” I was touched by her genuine spirit of humility. It was not long after that conversation, that she had a stroke and went to the hospital. Little did either of us know that would be our last clear conversation with each other on this side of heaven.
Often times, we do not know that this is our last time together. That’s why it’s some important to be living for the Lord today. There is a song that says one day every tongue will confess you are Lord, one day every knee will bow. But still the greatest treasure remain for those who gladly choose you now. No matter who you are or what you believe, one day you will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. It’s going to make a huge difference as to whether you make that confession before you die or after you die.
Bernice Simmons made the confession before she died. She can say like many other believers, the time has come for my departure, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
Bernice Simmons has left behind a legacy of faithfulness in service and has gone to be with Jesus Christ. You may think, with all the joy and laugher she brought into the lives of her family and all the work she did in the church that she certainly deserves to go to heaven. But if she could speak to us today, she would say that’s not quite true. You see, according to the Bible, none of us deserves to go to heaven. Did you know that according to Jesus, most people will not go to heaven?
Jesus said in , Mat 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Entering into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only way to enter that narrow gate. All you have to do is to admit, "God, I have done a lot of things I should not have done. I realize I cannot pay for all that I have done. I ask you for forgiveness. I accept that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, He being holy and righteous, paid the penalty for my sin. I invite him to come into my life and take control of it." Bernice Simmons made that decision years ago and has not regretted it since.
You will make numerous decisions in your life between your birth and your death. But the only decision that will still be personally affecting you a 1000 years from today, is what did you do with Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches there will certainly be a resurrection of everybody from the dead, and then comes the judgment of God.
We may say of Bernice Simmons, that she was my friend, she was my aunt, he was my sister, he was my grandmother , or she was my mother , but the greatest truth of them all is that Bernice Simmons is and forever will be a a child of God who has now completely returned to God. For those of us who die without knowing Jesus Christ Bernice Simmons will only be a memory, a very good and loving memory. But for those of us who do know Jesus Christ, Bernice Simmons is simply waiting to meet us on the other side.
For the Bible clearly teaches,
1 Th 4:13 Brothers and sisters , we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men and women, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
