Shorter Memorial Service (dated 8/25/09)

by Richard Edfeldt

After Jacob's death, Karen created this blog to record insights in her grief journey.  I would periodically write my insights on notes posted to my Facebook page.  We feel it would be best served if we combined our efforts so I am beginning the process of copying those notes to this blog.  They won't be in chronological order but I will put the original date on each one.  Here's another one:


Today we attended a memorial service at Shorter College to honor and celebrate the life of Jacob and the impact that he had ‘on the hill’. It was a beautiful, meaningful service that was composed of a series of testimonies from some of Jacob’s friends and faculty members. Karen, Katie, and I also said a few words of thanks and remembrance. There were plenty of opportunities for weeping and also for laughing. 

A common thread in each of the soliloquies was Jacob’s infectious smile and positive demeanor in the face of the many obstacles he faced. It was also common to hear that Jacob lived in the moment and enjoyed each moment abundantly. 

One thing that was announced is that there will be a scholarship fund set up in Jacob’s name to help deserving students. If anyone would care to give to it, please send it to Shorter College, 315 Shorter Ave., Rome, GA, 30165 and tag it for “Jacob’s Fund.” 

I want to share what I said at the service as a way of tribute to Jacob: 

When William Borden graduated from high school in 1904, his parents, owners of the Borden Dairy Empire, gave him a trip around the world. During his trip, as a result of seeing the plight of the world’s hurting people, he wrote back to his friends that he had a desire to become a missionary. Predictably, his family and friends expressed their surprise and ridicule at, as they said, “throwing himself away as a missionary.” In response, Bill wrote in the back of his Bible these two words, “No reserves.” 
At his graduation from Yale, Bill turned down several high paying jobs and acted on his missionary calling focusing on the needs of the Muslim Kansu people in China. In his Bible, under the words, “no reserves”, he added two more words, “no retreats”. 
After seminary, he went to Egypt to learn the Arabic language to prepare himself for his ministry among the Muslims. It was there he contracted spinal meningitis. Within one month, twenty-five year old William Borden was dead. They found, evidently written shortly before his death, these words written beneath the others, “no regrets”. 
You won’t find those six words penned in any of Jacob’s Bibles but I believe they were indelibly written on his life. 
“No reserves” - Jacob never held anything back or let anything hold him back. Despite his health issues he enjoyed life to the fullest and involved himself in all he saw beneficial. He loved being onstage. For years he participated in community and school musicals. He also loved performing in choral groups. He did all of this despite having a permanent ‘frog’ in his throat due to the many times he was intubated following surgeries. He enjoyed life to the fullest … with ‘no reserves.’ 
“No retreats” – Jacob’s lifetime of heart problems has been well documented. Seven major, life threatening surgeries and so many hospitalizations due to treatments we have lost count. Many people would have cloistered themselves from the world, physically and emotionally, in an effort to protect themselves. Many would have stayed on the couch, but not Jacob. He fully involved himself in ministry – to his family, to his friends, to his school, to his church, to his world. He did not cocoon himself. He did not stay in a protective bubble. He went out to serve … with ‘no retreats’. 
Finally, “no regrets” – Jacob lived his life with no regrets. Sure, he wished for a long life. Yes, he wished he had a healthy body. Yes, he wished he ‘lived a normal life’. But I think you would agree with me there was nothing ‘normal’ about Jacob. If you spent any time around him at all, you saw what God saw, an extraordinary life. A life lived abundantly with his family and friends, a life lived touching those around him, a life lived radiantly for God. 
A radiant life of ..… no reserves …... no retreats ….... no regrets.