A musician's ashes are buried in the clarinet he played.

Musician's ashes buried in clarinet

Associated Press

WINONA, Minn. - Roger Busdicker went out on a high note. When Busdicker, often seen playing his ebony-and-silver clarinet, died last week at the age of 88, his daughters thought it befitting to have his cremated remains buried in the instrument.

"One of my sisters found the clarinet in a closet," said Sue Enger, of New Richmond, Wis., one of Busdicker's daughters. "All three of us decided it would be appropriate to bury his ashes in it."

Sure, their father could play the saxophone and other instruments, "but he had played that clarinet for more than 50 years," Enger said. He played Benny Goodman tapes in his car.

Roger Busdicker toured with the Hal Leonard Orchestra in the 1930s and '40s before becoming a music teacher in Winona schools. He later co-founded and ran a sheet-music publishing company until retiring in 1985.

He never stopped playing though.

photo courtesy images.google.com & story courtesy twincities.com, 6/22/06

Ecclesiastes 3:11 - (NLT)

¹¹God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:17-22 - (NLT)

¹⁷I said to myself, "In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds." ¹⁸Then I realized that God allows people to continue in their sinful ways so he can test them. That way, they can see for themselves that they are no better than animals. ¹⁹For humans and animals both breathe the same air, and both die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless! ²⁰Both go to the same place--the dust from which they came and to which they must return. ²¹For who can prove that the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward into the earth? ²²So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is why they are here! No one will bring them back from death to enjoy life in the future.

WHAT DOES SOLOMON'S REFLECTION ON LIFE AFTER DEATH TEACH US?

The study notes from Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE help us understand the answer:

3:19-22  Our bodies can't live forever in their present state.  In that sense, humans and animals are alike.  But Solomon acknowledged that God has given people the hope of eternity (see the note on 3:11), and that we will undergo judgment in the next life (3:17; 12:7, 14) - making us different from animals.  Because we have eternity planted in our heart, we have a unique purpose in God's overall plan.  Yet we cannot discover God's purpose for our life by our own efforts - only through building a relationship with him and seeking his guidance.  Are you now living as God wants?  Do you see life as a gift from him?

I don't know anything about the spiritual beliefs of the man who had his ashes buried in the clarinet he played.  Actually, I think it's one of the more creative ways I have ever heard about how a family is remembering their loved one.

But here's something all of us should know after reading today's scripture: no matter how are physical body is disposed of when we die, our spiritual soul will live on for eternity.  

When the music stops, each of us will face God Almighty.  Our soul will remain in either heaven or hell forever.  Will you hear a song of joy and worship or one of sorrow and regret?

Thank God for the gift of life.  Praise Him that you are His unique creation, with a soul that will live forever!  If you know Christ as your Savior, worship Him right now...thank Him for His promise to bring you to His Heavenly home for eternity.  Sing a song to Him...

If you don't know Christ and have not received His forgiveness for your sins, which only He can provide, ask Him to be your Savior right now....He will come into your life and He promises that what remains for you after death, is life with all of God's family in Heaven forever!  There will be lots of good music because it's all about worshipping Jesus...

• Memorize Ecclesiastes 3:11 as a reminder that God's love for everyone is a pursuing love.  He has "planted eternity in the human heart".
• Pray every day for Jesus to prepare you to tell God's Story to help others around you understand this "eternity" that God has placed in our hearts.
• Whenever you see someone playing a clarinet or any other instrument, let it remind you that people around you need to know how to get their soul to Heaven after the music stops...

 

DAILY DEVOS is brought to you by Youth for Christ. Youth for Christ works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.

Daily Devos is published Monday through Friday. Archives can be found at YFC.ORG.  Its purpose is to help you apply truths from God's Word every day.

Our writer, Byron Emmert, has been involved with Youth For Christ for 30 years. He's served as Campus Life Staff, as a writer, and in leadership for the DCLA Conferences. Byron is married to Linda and their family includes two married sons and daughters-in-law, and a daughter in college.  He loves sports, deep dish pizza, and spending time with his family.