[__ Prayer __] Except for the dying part, it's been good.

[stovebolts]

Hi Dora and thanks for the update.

Our prayers are still with you and your family.
God bless,
Jeff

 

[handy]

Last Monday, my sister called to tell me that Dad had taken a severe downturn, so I dropped everything and went down to be with them. We almost lost him Monday, but on Tuesday he stablized once more.

When he can make himself understood, he is saying that he wants to go home. We try to help him understand that he is at his earthly home, but I think it's his heavenly home he is referring to. On Tuesday, he did ask my brother-in-law "How far did I get?", the fact that he is on a journey is very apparent. Also, he keeps reaching out his hand. I asked him yesterday during the night what he was reaching for, and he said, "I want to touch him." He sees people around him constantly, I believe that they are in fact angels. He is between both worlds now.

Frankly, and I truly hope that folks will understand this, my prayer is that he would slip into the next world very quickly now. There is nothing left for him here, he's said all his goodby's, and he is more than ready. All we are waiting on now is the Lord, and I pray that in His mercy and grace, He will come for Dad soon.

I've been gone all week, and came home today to find that my beloved cat died yesterday. Apparently, she had a stroke. So, I'm pretty down. I'm the "night nurse", sleeping in the same room with Dad and making him comfortable at night, so I haven't slept much at all this week. I'm home for tonight, hopefully I can get a good nights rest. Then tomorrow, I'll go back to mom and dad's.

 

[Rosalee]

Oh Dora- I am so sorry to hear this and I do understand about your Dad, I know there are older folks who go through this same thing as your Dad is now. I pray that God comforts your Dad as much as possible. Bless your Dads' heart- he sounds as though he was a wonderful parent and a wonderful Dad. My own Dad passed away when I was 13- so I didn't get to get to know my Dad through to his old age, But I am glad that you have gottem to know your Dad. God Bless you. You're in my thoughts and prayers also. Get some rest.

Rosalee Decker
This is the Day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice & be glad in it

 

[handy]

Dad went to be with the Lord this morning. The Lord is so good. Dad slipped into a coma last night, and slipped away at about 5 am.

Thank you all for your prayers for my dad and my family. Believe me, they were most appreciated.

 

[Rosalee]

Please except my sympathy for the loss of your dad, my heartfelt prayers are with you & your family. God Bless you. :angel:

Rosalee Decker
This is the Day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice & be glad in it

 

[Vic C.]

Dora, I will make sure a prayer request for you and your family make it into the request box this Sunday morning.

 

[handy]

I wanted to share this with you all as a testimony to the goodness of God. When we first started this journey, my brother came over from Oregon to spend time with Dad. When he left, it was heart-wrenching, because they knew that it would be the last time that they ever saw each other. Dad followed them out to the porch, and stood waving until he could no longer see the car. It was the first time he truly broke down. Because of the type of work my brother does, he cannot take much time off at all. There just wasn't a way for him to come back over.

Over the course of the summer, John asked me several times if we were sure that Dad didn't need a second opinion. The doctors has said 3 weeks, and it was stretching on and on. I assured John that Dad was indeed dying, but he just had this image of Dad being healthy and well and all that was unfinished between the two of them. He felt so far away and helpless during this summer.

Monday, John was awakened suddenly by the voice of the Lord, knowing that he was to drop everything and come over. He said that it was so strong, he had no doubts whatsoever. So, because it was so early, he woke up his wife and told her to call his work and let them know he was taking two days off. Then he got in his car and started driving.

When I left Dad and Mom's on Sunday, Dad only recognized me part of the time. Sometimes he was lucid, other times I think he thought I was a mean nurse. By Monday morning, he wasn't recognizing mom or my sister or brother-in-law. However, when John showed up, Dad became fully aware and was so happy to see him. John spent the night and cared for Dad during the night. Dad remained lucid and they talked with each other. John then left Tuesday morning, and I showed up about an hour after he left. By then, Dad was almost completely unresponsive and he slipped into a coma later Tuesday evening. Wednesday morning he died.

My brother found out when he got back home that there was a cancellation and that he wouldn't have worked anyway. There was no trouble about him taking time off. God was so good to provide that opportunity to let my brother come and spend those last few hours with Dad. He told my mom and sister when he left that he was totally at peace with Dad's passing. This was an extra measure of God's grace to my brother that will make a difference for the rest of his life. God truly does work to cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him.

 

[Rosalee]

Thank you for sharing this with us Dora, God is so Good.I'm so very glad that your brother got spend time with your Dad, God knew it must've been weighing on both of their hearts- to see each other again. God Bless. Keeping all of you & your family in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs-

Rosalee Decker
This is the Day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice & be glad in it

 

[Nikki]

Dora, I'm sorry this is the first that I'm seeing this. I've cried as I've read all your updates and then the loss of your father. I can tell that God is giving you comfort during this time. Your dad sounds so very special and I can tell that he and your mother raised you well. When my mom was going through chemo last year, I kept thinking that if I lost her, I would go crazy and end up in a psych ward. I love my mom soooo much and the thought of losing her scared me to death. She's a christian and I know she would go to heaven, but I still have that fear. It's the same fear when I think of losing my kids or husband. I don't know if it's lack of faith or what, but I hope that when the time comes to have to say goodbye to one of my loved ones that I can be as strong as you. You are such an inspiration to me.

 

[handy]

One last request...

We buried Dad today, with a very short graveside and a wonderful worship service. It was good to be with family and friends. Mom and Dad's pastor did the service and I thought he summed up everything so well...that death has no victory, that it has lost it's sting, that we will be raised again, and will meet again, and be with the Lord forever...and...that while all that is true, death still stinks anyway.

I want again to thank everyone here at 123 who has prayed for our family. I know that it was all the many prayers of so many that has made this summer, while the hardest thing I've yet to go through, also uplifting, even joyful and most of all hope filled.

One last prayer request regarding this thread:

My mom has just one brother. This summer, in August, his wife, my aunt, died very suddenly of a stroke, after a long illness due to previous strokes. Because we were dealing with dad, and there was no way we could make it to either Washington or California, we were unable to be with my uncle and his three children. His kids are my closest cousins to me in age: Mark and I are the same age, just a month apart, and Mike and Monica, twins, are just a year younger. So, these are the cousins that are my closest and dearest, with many, many childhood escapades, scrapes and downright naughty adventures between the four of us. Time and distance has limited how much we see each other now, but no matter how long it's been, we just pick right up where we left off.

However, none of them, my uncle, aunt or cousins, are Christians. They all have a certain amount of 'spirituality', but not saving faith in our Lord and Only Savior. So, when Aunt died, they were truly devastated to go through it without any hope or comfort.

My uncle, Mark and Monica made the trip over yesterday, and we all met last night. My heart was truly broken for them, they were so crushed. In the eyes of my mom, sisters, brother, in-laws, and the kids, there was peace, even joy, but in my uncle's and cousin's eyes, there was nothing but sadness and loss, and bewilderment.

My mom was surrounded with her 4 children, 4 sons/daughters-in-law, 12 grandchildren, and 12 great-grand-children, plus her church family and friends, and (since were all Christians) the church families and friends of the rest of us as well.

None of my cousins have married or have kids, so it was just Uncle, Mark and Monica, with Mike at home. I know, (because both Mark and Monica said so) that they sorely missed the strength of family and the comfort and joy that the 'next generation' brings when someone of the previous generation dies.

My mom was able to have a long talk with my uncle, and my sister talked with Monica, and Mark and I had some time together today. Also, the whole worship service that Dad's pastor did was so filled with hope and the comfort that God will give to all that are His, as well as a reaching out to any and all that are without that hope. I sat directly behind Mom, Uncle, Mark and Monica. I know that so much of the Word that Pastor shared, and the sermon he gave really hit home to them.

So, my final request is that God will use this time, while their hearts are still softened with grief and the love that we all shared today, to draw them to His love, where they truly can experience His comfort and His hope.

And, as for Aunt MJ...no she wasn't a Christian. But, Uncle told me that for the last 6 months, she was unable to speak due to some strokes. (She had life-long diabetes.) There were many times when she was totally "out of it". I know, because we just went through it with Dad, that there are times when one can be 'out of it' in this world, and yet be encountering the Spiritual world in a way that is far more real than we can ever hope to see. My hope and prayer for Aunt MJ is that somehow, in some way, God was able to get through to her during those times. Maybe she couldn't express it, maybe she wasn't able to share it, but I refuse to not hope for her. And I don't have a wishful thinking kind of hope, but a hope based upon the fact that God loved her far more than even we did, that Christ did die for her, and that He could reach her even when she was beyond human capacity to be reached. So, I refuse to not hope for her.

So, if you could all lift my uncle and cousins up to God, and petition on their behalf that He extend His grace to them, that they would know Him and turn to Him and surrender to Him, I would greatly appreciate it. Max, Mark, Monica and Mike (who was unable to come, but still needs this prayer.)

Thank you again, brothers and sisters, it's been quite a journey.

 

[stovebolts]

Hi Dora,

I'm really at a loss for words, but I want you to know that we'll keep praying for you and your family and extended family and friends as well.

God bless.

Jeff

Romans 8:26