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A PROPER GOOD BYE
by Maggie |
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My mother died of cancer in 1980. She was riddled with it.
"Disseminated Cancer" it's called and from the time it was
diagnosed till the day she died was five short weeks. She
died in the early morning on a Friday.
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On the Tuesday before we were all called at six a.m. to
come to the hospital, she had lapsed into a coma and they
did not think she would come out of it. My brothers, my
sister and I raced there, and we sat all day holding her
hands. It was awful, she was so dreadfully thin, like a
skeleton and her tongue was all swollen and hanging out.
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Late on the Wednesday, mother suddenly woke up and
smiled at us. I was patting her face and hair and she was
saying "Bye, bye darling" to me. Of course I could barely
see I was crying so hard, and telling her bye bye too and
how much I loved her.
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My mother had the most beautiful expression on her face
it was almost too much to bear. My sister was behind me
and she was saying "I wonder what Mum sees. Does she
see us as we are now, or are we her babies again, or is she
even looking at a beautiful garden somewhere?"
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It was just so wonderful even though heartbreaking. All I could think of was Oh thank you God for giving us this
time to say goodbye properly.
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Maggie
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INTERVENTION ON THE HIGHWAY
by Monica |
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I travel a lot between OH and MI. I bought a new van the
first of August. On Labor Day weekend I was returning
home to MI. I had made plans to leave early to beat traffic
but one thing after another kept me from getting on the
road on time. Finally, I started home. I had been on the
turnpike for exactly seven miles and driving with the
cruise on when my new car felt funny to me. The cruise
stopped, I watched my accelerator speed drop as my
accelerator pedal gave gas. Mind you my foot was not on
the pedal. My new car shut down completely.
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Now for a busy holiday time, there was little traffic and I
was able to pull off the road with no problem. I checked
under the hood but couldn't figure out what the problem
was. It was just me and my kids. This was going to set me
back on getting home. Well I didn't have a cellular phone
at the time and my C.B. radio stopped working also. I
didn't want to walk on the highway. I asked the Lord to
tell me what to do.
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A state trooper came within minutes and yes I know he
just may have responded to call put in by someone else
who noticed I was stranded. He took me back to the gate
and my parents came to get me. Instead of going back to
their house, my dad traded vans with me and they towed
my car back to Akron.
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Well the crux of my story is this. I continued my trip and
almost made it to Toledo when one of those construction
signs read ALL CARS EXIT and I saw that traffic had
stopped. In my dad's van, the cb radio worked so I called
out to find out what was happening. There were two
major accidents on the turnpike. I was ticked and
frustrated about having to go four hours out of my way to
get home.
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Later, when I found out where the accidents were and
when they happened I realized that I would have been
right in the mix and possibly one of those accidents. Now I
know some people think that's a probability stretch. That's okay too.
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Now about my car. My dad called me the next day and
asked me who had been working on the car. I told him
nobody it was brand new. We did the routine oil check
before getting on the road but that's it. He said nah.
Somebody had to have worked on the car. The d-cap had
been disconnected. I said "well maybe it was loose." That's
when he told me that my type of cap can only come off
when levers and screws are removed and the only way
that could have happened was when whomever worked
on the car. Again I told him NO ONE worked on the car.
The mechanic couldn't explain any reason why it would
have been disconnected except that is was manually done.
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Well to end my story, after hearing the info on the
accidents, what the mechanic said about my car and the
fact that my cousin and I left at exactly the same time and
she saw the accident happen I could only conclude that
God did what was necessary for my traveling mercy. God
did manually what man hadn't done. This is just a small
bit of what he's done for me.
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Monica Howard
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POWER OF PRAYER... ANSWERED PRAYER |
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HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR
by Mark |
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On a Saturday I was talking to my dad's neighbor about
all of the things that God has done through, and around
me. She listened with a look of disbelief. This woman has
been going to the same church I attend for almost her
whole life. She is now in her 80s.
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When I woke up and started getting ready for church, the
next morning, God told me that my dad's neighbor, was
going to be in trouble, and I should help her. She also goes
to the same church as my dad and myself.
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I left for church early. After arriving I talked to the
minister and told him what I was told. A few minutes later
I saw that her car was not in the parking lot. Since she is
always one of the first to arrive and wasn't there yet, I
called her. No answer.
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I took my books over to the church, and asked my father if
he had a key to her house. I told the class very quickly
what was going on and my dad said he was going with
me. We rushed to her house, and just as we turned the
corner onto her street, there she was. Her car was stalled in
the middle of the street, right in front of her house. She
was standing beside it not knowing what to do.
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She is 88 yrs. old. When I relayed to her that it was God
that told me to come and check up on her she was so
happy. She kept telling me thank-you. I was insistent that
she thank God, not me. All I did was to obey my Father's
command.
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I was unbelievably happy that God chose to talk to me.
This was not the first time that God has spoken to me.
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I think it just goes to show that we all can have that
intimate love relationship with God, if we are willing to
empty our backpack of sin, by giving it to Him. Die of
self. And give our new life to God, totally one hundred
percent. When God's world is more important to you than
your own world, you have reached a place where you are
ready to be used by God for His divine purposes. I thank
God for loving me and not giving up on me. Thank you
Father.
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Mark
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MOM, IT'S OKAY. I KNOW THE LORD
by Tamara |
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My best friend, Keith was killed in a car wreck when I was
19. He and I were very close and when he got involved
with his future fiancÈe, he and I were not "allowed to "
talk. Every once in a while he would sneak over to see me
and just talk. He had started drinking and I made him
promise me he would never drink and drive. He
promised and said that our friendship would never die.
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Two weeks later Keith went to a wedding with his
fiancÈe's family. He had been drinking yet she insisted
that he drive her brother home. Well, to make a long
story short, Keith hit a tree on the main road through our
town. He was driving his jeep and the Emergency Medical
Staff said that he didn't stand a chance. In the ambulance
the EMS workers said that he called out to his mom (my
mom's best friend). He is said to have said, "MOM, IT'S
OKAY. I KNOW THE LORD."
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When the EMS were at the scene, I was coming home
from the movies with some friends. We saw the scene
and I had an awful feeling and I started weeping. We
drove around it and went home. The next day, Keith's
mom called my mom and told her that Keith had died
and what had happened.
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Keith's mom had been out of town that night. At the very
moment he called out to his mom, she heard him and
turned around surprised that he would have come all the
way to where she was knowing that he had a wedding to
go to. She realized he was not there and then she heard
him say "Mom, it is okay, I know the Lord."
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Keith was dead before his mother got to the hospital, but I
rest assured that he is safe in the Lord's arms.
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I miss Keith terribly and I wish he had held his ground
and not driven the car that night, but I am grateful that
even as he died his last words were projected to his
mother and she can be at peace with his memory.
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Tamara
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Sharon Bryant has shared many stories with us about
Andy her young son who was killed in a tragic accident at
the age of five. Sharon has since picked up the pieces of
her life and gives much of her time now to helping others
deal with death. Let her know what you think about this
poem:
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MEMORIES
by Sharon Bryant |
Today I was walking
On a street in my town
I came across a big white house
With a carefully manicured lawn.
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I saw a little boy
Playing in the sand
Running his trucks to and fro
My mind drifted to another land.......
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The days when I once had a little boy
Who loved to play in sand
Who picked me little flowers
And placed them in my hand.
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Who loved to yell "Mommy"
When a butterfly landed near
Who looked to me for answers
A boy who had no fears.
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A child who loved life
As I had taught him to do
Who gave of himself
But left this world too soon.
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Tears slid down my face
As I watched the little boy
Remembering my own son
When my life was filled with joy.
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I sighed a big sigh
As the memories ran through my head
Of another sandbox long ago
And the many things my son said.
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Whenever I see a child
Around the age of five
I always get the "memories"
Of our life before he died.
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I touch a dandelion
When it's white and turned to "Fluff".
Remembering my birthday flowers
And how the weeds meant so much.
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I only have my memories
After all the years gone by
I still can't help my heart,
I still sit down and cry.
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Sharon
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In 2001 we will be seeing more written by Maria Urso
In this poem she reminds us that it is never too late
to start "listening and obeying."
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| A TALK WITH THE LORD
by Maria Urso |
Last night I lay in bed awake,
My mind full of different matters,
Going over past mistakes,
And how my life's been scattered.
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I thought about the time I gave,
To God my heart and soul,
Then how I strayed away from Him,
After He had made me whole.
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I thought about so many times,
Again and again I tried,
To make myself let go of sin,
Myself I did despise.
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How could I ever allow myself,
To join in godless chatter,
To tell "white" lies and gossip,
Another's life to shatter.
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To turn away a neighbor,
To hurt a loving friend,
To discourage my dear children,
And bring my own life to an end.
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I pondered all these things and more,
When I distinctly heard my name,
At once I recognized the voice,
And I was full of shame.
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But I answered quickly,
"Lord, I am here."
And He began to speak with me,
He gently whispered in my ear.
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He said, "I love you always,
No matter what you've done,
But you must change your ways,
And follow my Dear Son."
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"I AM your power and your strength,
I AM the Light within you,
ANd though the light may fade at times,
The darkness cannot bind you."
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"For all is under my control,
And nothing works without Me,
And all I do is for your good,
My child, do you now see?"
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I answered, "Yes, Lord,
Now I see, from You I'll never part,
Forgive me Lord for all my ways,
And cleanse my aching heart."
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"I believe You'll never leave me,
And I know how deep Your love,
I know my sins are forgiven,
And I'm covered in Your blood."
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"Though I at times may fail you,
you are still with me each day,
To help me up, to start again,
As I grow along the way."
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"I love you Lord, no words can say,
What I feel within my heart."
And He said to me, "Child, obey Me,
Right here, right now, let's start."
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Maria Urso
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