A Wide-Open Heart

These remarks were made by the Rev. David Early at the funeral service for Annie Laurie Overton Pomeranz, August 11, 2007.

Isaiah 65:13-14

God’s prophet Isaiah only met Annie Laurie Pomeranz a few days ago, but his ancient words vividly mirror her life journey. For a few moments spent in gratitude for her memory this morning, I invite your focus, with me, on those last few words read from Isaiah. “Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart.”

God is the loving source of all that makes the human heart joyful. Cecil Alexander expressed it this way in his simple hymn:

“All things bright and beautiful,
All things great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
Our Father made them all.
Cold wind in the winter,
Pleasant summer sun,
Ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How good is God our Father,
Who doeth all things well.”

Annie Laurie’s heart was open wide to the whole gamut of God’s provision for her gladness.

He gave her a big family . . . and how she loved each and every one of you. You were truly the joy of her heart. She treasured home and its lovely setting and found happiness in sharing its surroundings generously.

In God’s creative master plan, he set lovely boundaries at the extremity of the oceans’ pounding surges. We call them beaches, and that creation was one of Annie Laurie’s chief joys . . . particularly that special one at North Myrtle.

The majesty of rolling peaks also reminded her of God’s love and caused her heart to rejoice. Locate a lovely and challenging summer music camp/festival in that setting at Brevard, and Annie Laurie’s heart could hardly contain the joy. She didn’t want to “contain” it either. She wanted others to share it, too.

Somewhere along the way, her love for symphony led to an abiding friendship with Dr. Ben and Maxine Swalin. I can’t count the times she shared with me the joy their many visits brought to her home. Surely, music was the common denominator, but she also relished their richly varied and stimulating conversations. It all added much to the joy of her life.

God gave her pianistic skills and delight in carefully honing them. So many hours she found joy of heart at the keyboard of the Steinway in her living room.

We could go on and on, but your minds have already recalled other treasures certain to have contributed to her joy of heart.

God is good to us, isn’t he? His abundance makes us joyful, but he also encourages/expects that “my servants shall sing out of the joy of their hearts.” Did Annie Laurie’s life do that? I believe abundantly so.

The simplest meaning of “sing” is “to vocalize a musical selection.” She did that well and often. Untold hymns and anthems sounded joyfully from Annie Laurie’s throat in happy testimony to the deep reality of her faith in God . . . and her happy commitment to honor him utilizing his talent/gift to her.

Her life also “sang”. She discovered many ways to let that happen, for making a positive contribution to others’ lives was important to her.

She invested time as a dedicated teacher, utilizing music’s power to enrich, challenge and uplift her young students.

Remember her period of selfless service in support of young men in the military. Her infectious smile must have “sung a happy tune” in their lives far from home.

An unseen carrier for the News & Observer sensed the powerful song of Annie Laurie’s life as the recipient of a simple telephone call in appreciation for her new service on the Forest Drive route. Upon learning of the death of this lady she had never met, she wrote the family to share her own sorrow, saying: “It says much about a person’s character when she takes the time to call a paper carrier to say ‘Thank you’.”

Numerous times, First Baptist Church had need of the “song” which could be sung so well by Annie Laurie’s skilled fingers and sensitive musicianship. From the joy of her heart, she met each challenge when asked. Bob Pomeranz often told me how much she (and he) enjoyed her diligent preparation for each needed service.

Budding, obviously gifted, musicians have often ridden the wave of he encouraging “song” while on their way to greater accomplishments.

Her deeply cherished Meredith College will never outlive the importance of her beautiful song of love for the school, its high purposes and the many young women she helped draw to its hallowed halls.

Surely, we have all heard – clearly – some portion of Annie Laurie’s lovely life song. It was her joyful and reasoned response to the New Testament admonition: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly . . . as you sing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)

After speaking of his servants’ songs from the joy of their hearts, God struck another lovely chord through Isaiah: “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. Be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create.” (Isaiah 65:17-18)

Enjoy, Annie Laurie! It’s for you!