Good and Evil

When Good meets Evil. It happens every day. We all see it. Sometimes we just tend to block it out or some days we are just too busy to take notice.

Yesterday, it was pretty blatant and it was just too hard to miss.

I had a patient who is drawing near the EOL (End-of-life). She is becoming very restless. She says she had to go. Several of us were in the room. Some people want to restrain her but I like to find out what is going on so I started to ask her questions. So I started with, "Where are you going?"

"Over there, don't you see it?"

"Tell me about it" I said.

"That beautiful place, and that big house. The group is here to take me."

"Tell me more." I wanted to hear. For I knew I was on holy ground.

It had been a long time since I had seen this lady smile. This same lady that I had been sharing Jesus with some weeks ago.

"The Man has been talking to me. He's nice. "And in the background of her room was Pat Roberts from the 400 club talking about Jesus.

She is on her journey home.

On the other side of town is a man. We are not sure of his spiritual belief's. There has been concern. He is very young. He is dying. Yesterday, as his mom sat with him in his unresponsive state, she noticed a horrible smell. She could not imagine where it came from. It came and went very quickly.

Her son whom had not be responsive in some time woke up and said, "Take this pillow away, it smells horrible." He went back to his deep sleep. The mom and nurses smelled the pillow and there was no odor. There had only been the brief encounter with the most horrid odor the mother had ever smelled.

What did this mean? She cried.

Good?

Evil?

We have a choice.

For those that do not believe, think it's not real, go ahead and think that way.

One day, the truth will be told.

We know how the story ends.

Happy Birthday in Heaven Dad

Psalm 23

1-3 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.

You have bedded me down in lush meadows,

you find me quiet pools to drink from.

True to your word,

you let me catch my breath

and send me in the right direction.

4 Even when the way goes through

Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side.

Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure.

5 You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies.

You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.

6 Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.

I'm back home in the house of God

for the rest of my life.

Bryant L. Franklin (October 2nd 1939 - January 24, 2008)

Thinking Of You... Love Dad

This is a special week... For one year ago, my dad went Home.



A lot of roads have been traveled and I can tell you ...



"God is good, God is Great!"



Oh, I miss my dad, dearly... but I would never have learned or seen what I have seen had this road not been traveled. Don't get me wrong. I would have rather learned another way but God being resourceful as He is... uses every opportunity to teach us of His love.


You see... "I was blind and now I see"

Hours before my dad passed away this time last year, in this devotional last year, I woke to a military plane flying over my home. It shook the foundation. Never before nor since have I experienced this sound or sight.

That was until today.

As I was preparing to write this post, my home shook and that all-to-familiar sound brought tears to my eyes. I ran outside to witness this sacred moment.

No one really understanding the significance but that is OK. This can be just between me, dad and God. Well, OK now you guys!!

As I stood in the winter cold, shivering from the gray clouds promising its own tears, I searched the sky but there was not a plane to be found--anywhere! The sound had appeared to be coming from directly over my home. But the sound left as quickly as it came.

I am left with a transcending peace:
Almost as if my dad were saying, "Here I am...thinking of you!"

And a Papa saying... I will never leave you nor forsake you...

Even in the midst of a terrible storm...

IT'S A NEW YEAR OF PROMISE AND HOPE 2009

On A ScAlE oF 1-10, ThIs PaSt YeAr RaTeS a MiNuS 4.

I sit here today looking back on the last year. Two months ago, I was bitter. Today, I look at the new year with joy and hope.

I lost my father last year. My life had spiraled out of control and I hit rock bottom. How? I'm not really ready to go there but just take my word. My life became a roller coaster. Unexpected challenges and this time last year instead of counting each day with my dad as a blessing, I would curse God that I was losing him. I drew further and further away from God.

When my dad died, a part of me died. I then started to withdraw from my family and yes, even God. I lost sight of God but you know what? He never lost sight of me.

I had to find ways to cope with this pain.

I functioned like a robot. I went through the motions. But I quit writing. I quit blogging for the most part except when God was blatant in my life. Funny how He still uses us in the darkest times. How He continues to love us!

I would cry in my pillow through the night, "take this from me." Time dragged on. I began to give up and lose hope. God doesn't care.

Then several months ago I ended up caring for a patient that was suppose to be another nurse's patient. But she was overloaded so I took her. I fell in love with this patient. She was a devote Christian woman. She and I spent long hours talking about life. We shared a few books about the Lord with each other. I was still going through the motions but I wasn't intimate with God.

And then the time came for my sweet lady to go see Jesus. She said, "I'm ready." And she was. Selfishly, I didn't want her to go. I tried to figure out ways to keep her here. I felt like I lost my best friend or parent all over again.

Later I would learn that her purpose was not over. But would need to take place after her death.

I sat down by myself at her funeral. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. As luck would have it, someone in front of me felt the need to talk to me. This guy turns around and ask me if I had been this patients nurse ( I had my name badge on). Of course, I said, "I can't tell you that." So he said, "Well, if you were, I guess you have to be a compassionate, caring, la da da da. so on, Christian person." But it was his tone that ticked me off. So I took the defensive and said, "Well yes it does help. I thought maybe he worked for Satan. (only later to find out he had been a friend of the family for over 20 years) About that time, he handed me a card. I studied it...At first it did look like it was a Satan thing and my skin began to boil. Then I realized he too was a Christian. I also realized he had something I needed.

It just so happens, God ordained this meeting.

Later, he became someone that helped me get my life back on track. My patient's death had purpose. God put this meeting together because God heard my cries. He cared.

I have a new beginning.

I have Hope.

I went to see my dad the other day to tell him it's ok. I am ok. I wouldn't take him back because if I was with Jesus, I wouldn't come back either.

This year is one of great promise.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows)

The other night my friend had me read out of lamentations.

and the first words were:

Great is thy Faithfulness..... He has no idea how true that is....