Church

I was singing today.

At the hospital.

Went to visit John Graham.  He has not been well.  In the midst of struggles for breath he has been thinking.  About songs and scriptures.  He has memorized a number of songs.  But, you can’t always remember every verse in the midst of catching your breath!

He was thinking of the song, "How Great Thou Art".  I started singing and he lay back.  Closed his eyes.  Lay back and listened.  Someone else came in for a moment — they had just come to visit .  As I finished he opened his eyes with a slight smile on his lips.

I hope when I reach his age (I’m planning on living to 100 or dying in the attempt — John is 94) I’ll be able to sit back and listen to the songs of faith.

God is good, all the time.  And all the time, God is good.

I sat with John today.

He is struggling to breathe.  Fluid has built up on his lungs.  He works to live.

We take breathing for granted.  Each breath is called a respiration.  We have many during a minute’s time.  In the usual hour, most of us glance at a beautiful sunset, remain focused while driving, or force ourselves to relax.  Seldom do we have to remain mentally alert, focusing ourselves to breathe.

But, when someone is asthmatic, or has a cold or fluid on the lungs they work.  And work hard.  What would normally be focused on the events of the day is now consumed with one event — the next breath.  When your breath is more laboured than usual, panic sets in.  You drown in your attempts to breathe.  The implored statement from panicked onlookers — "breathe" — would be heeded if somewhere in the depths of your soul you could pull back from the precipice just long enough to put your feet on solid ground.

Those who have been around death know the stutter breathing of the last moments.  That final sign that the precipice is winning.  Then there is peace.

At that point, for Christians, the statement — "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain" — becomes a reality.  Thank God for another realm, whose depths we can barely understand in this restless, transitory and panting earth! 

Yesterday I had my blog entry all set to go.

It was marvelous (since you’ll never see it!). 

Then my computer froze up.  I had to reboot.  And I lost all the data stored in memory. 

Not a total loss.  I shut down the computer and spent the rest of the evening relaxing.  Phoned my parents.  Talked to my wife.  All in all a great way to end a day of rest!

Our community ministerial holds weekly Lenten lunches, every Friday.

Today was our church’s responsibility.  The lunch was great.  Our ladies had four soups.  A number were tomato based, along hamburger, vegetables and other additions.  Then one was butternut soup.  I’m awaiting the recipe via an email from Marilyn!  Sandwiches were delectable.

The short service/devotional time led us into prayer for family and friends.  I think too often we forget those closest to us.  They are taken for granted.  Right when they need our prayers the most.

So, think of two names right now.  Pray for them that the would know Jesus more, have protection throughout this day, and that joy may flood their lives.