The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are Alive and Well!

I've not posted for a while because life and death have gotten in the way.  Since my last post, my father-in-law's health took a turn for the worse and he was called to his heavenly home on September 10th at 4:25 p.m. with my wife (his daughter) Carol and I at his bedside.

At 63 years of age this was the first time I actually stood beside the bed of a family member with my hand on their shoulder as he/she took their last breath.  It was not as I imagined it would be. There was not struggling, no groans, no gasps....just here one second and gone the next.  Peaceful, as his spirit slipped away from his earthly remains.

I was in the room years ago for the birth of both of my children and the birth process is so violent and disturbing compared to one's death.  In the days after my father-in-law's death, I had time to process the 9 month decline of his health.  Here are some of my thoughts.

• The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are alive and well.
• Prayer helps, not only the sick but those dealing with the sick person.
• A slow decline in health is God's gift to the person that's ill and to the family of the ill person.  It's an opportunity to "get right" with God and say goodbye to one's family members and friends.
• It's an opportunity to say thanks and ask for forgiveness of transgressions.
• It's an opportunity to strengthen family bonds!

From this day forward, when people ask me, why is God allowing "you fill in the name" to suffer like this, why doesn't He end his/her suffering, I will remind them, because God still has work for him or her and others close to him or her to do.  Likely we may never know what that work is or was but if we're blessed, it will be revealed when the suffering person leaves this world.

I close with this final moment of peace for me the day my father-in-law died.  The morning of his death, circumstances left me in the room with him alone.  I used that opportunity, to go to his bedside and holding his hand, I thanked him for accepting me into his family and expressed my love for him. I told him that he could relax knowing that I will continue to love and care for his daughter, my wife, as long as I live.  I then told him I wanted to share a bible verse that my mother insisted that I memorize when I was a very young boy.  I told him I never forgot it and it continues to be my favorite Psalm from the King James Version of the Bible.  I then recited Psalm 23 with a broken voice and tears.  

I'm unsure whether he heard a word I said, but later that day he passed away peacefully and I'm so glad I had these private minutes with him to share what had been on my heart and mind for so long.

Thanks be to God.