Crossing Over

Psalm  125:1    Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

My father-in-law has been very sick.  He has not been feeling well for some time and losing weight.  He went in for a check up and they sent him to the ICU.  His red count was very low and other problems.  He was diagnosed with a blood disease and sent home with some medication.  After one week at home he began to get worse.  His daughter took him back to the hospital.  He was bleeding internally and we almost lost him before they found the bleeding.  He was transferred to a more specialized hospital for the weekend.  He was still bleeding and his heart began to malfunction.  All the family were called back to the hospital at 3am in the morning on Saturday.  We were given a “private” waiting room.  The spouses of all the children went in to see him.  He was not coherent and was talking.  He said, “Come on Papaw, lift me up”.  At that point I said that we needed to leave and his children needed to be with him.  I knew he was seeing someone come from the “other side” to escort him home to Heaven.  He spent several hours on the brink of leaving this life. 

God is not finished with his life yet.  He began to improve in the early morning hours of Saturday.  Two of his grandsons came to visit in the afternoon (my sons).  He was in good spirits and knew them both and talked about their families, etc.  When the visiting time was up for ICU he took both of their hands and began to pray for THEM.  What a Godly example of a man.  Even on the brink of his leaving this world he ask God to bless others.

During this entire time God has opened opportunites to spread his love and message.  In the ICU waiting room was a woman who immediately expressed concern for our family.  After talking with her, she is virtually alone in her vigile for her husband.  She is living in the ICU waiting room.  When we left on Friday I ask if we could bring her anything.  She ask if we could bring her “good’ coffee (the ICU waiting room stuff is instant YUCK) and maybe a biscuit with gravy.  When we left on Saturday I told her I was sorry that we had come in so early.  She embrassed us and gave us her love.  On Sunday one of the other brothers and my husband and I both brought her the coffee and biscuits.  She was so happy that she cried.  Friday night when we left she was sleeping on her purse.  The hospital usually brings blankets and pillows, but that night they did not distribute any.  We had some pillows that we were going to take to my father-in-laws house so we left her one.  She was so grateful.  What small things mean so much to others.  What a priviledge to be able to give love back to her.

When we got the phone call at 3am to go back to the hospital my husband and I got up, dressed, packed up and hurriedly went to our car.  He was approached by a gentleman who said he was out of gas and desperate to get home.  His wife and children were sleeping in his car.  He said he had his wife’s jewelry and his tools and was trying to sell them to us.  We were in a hurry and did not know if my father-in-law was going to die or not.  My husband handed the gentleman $20.  The man was very surprised, he ask if we wanted to pump the gas for him or wanted anything.  My husband said,  “Go in Peace”.  Did the guy really buy gas???  Who knows, but at least he experienced love from people that were in a very critical situation. 

Were these people angels in our path ?,  People that needed to feel love?   Who knows.   When I get to heaven I can ask God about these people.  All I know is that God has blessed us and has given us back my father-in-law for awhile.  Even when there are trials we must still express and maintain our Chrisitan love and values.  If we take time for others then God will take time for us.