Woofing Down My Food

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 

Last night, as I lay in bed, I realized that I put the wrong dates on 6 to 8 of my posts about my dad's "passing". See it's easier for me to say "passing" than to say "passing away" or to say "death." I've got a ways to go in the healing process.

Anyway, I had a turkey/cheese wrap I was going to eat for lunch, mainly because it had been there  for some time and I didn't want it to spoil. As I read all the post topics while I was correcting the dates on them, I had eaten both halves of the wraps in about 4 or 5 minutes. 
Now, I'm usually a pretty fast eater, but this level of woofing down food defies anything I've done in the past. It took me a few minutes to prayerfully ponder it, before realizing that it's reading all these topics about my dad's "passing." O.K. Don't be hard on me! I'm just praying my way through all of this. I think I'm doing fine and then Christ shows me that I'm just going through the motions of doing fine. I need to be more prayerful about putting all the stress and grief in Christ's very capable hands.

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Cleaning Dad's Room

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.

We had stayed at the hotel an extra night after Dad passed, so we could clean his room the next day. I didn't want the Veteran's Home staff to have to do it, since they had been so wonderful to my dad. 

I had a friend that lived in the area ask if there was anything she could do to help. She had just lost her husband a few weeks earlier and I didn't want to impose on her gracious nature. I told her that we were heading to the Veteran's Home shortly and I thought we could handle it ourselves, but she could come by and visit, if she'd like to.

Well, first of all, I was running and late, and who do you think greeted us with a warm smile and hug, was this special lady. She followed us to Dad's room and started sorting out things for us which was a tremendous help. I had underestimated how long it should take my husband and I to clean out Dad's room, but we would have never gotten it done by then if it hadn't been for her help. She was amazing. She provided the level of emotional support that we needed, at the time, plus she helped sort things that would have taken forever if we had done it all ourselves. I am so thoughtful that Christ had provided this friend to help us out when I thought we could do it by ourselves. Fortunately God, always sees the big picture and knew we needed help. I'm so very blessed He looks after me and blessed to have such a good friend to be willing to do all of that so soon after her husband's passing!


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Chicken Fried Steak for Memory's Sake

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 

Some time after the funeral home had escorted Dad away, I told my husband I needed to go eat, because my stomach was sick, which probably had more to do with all the events of my dad's passing than it had to do with actual hunger. He decided to take us to one of the places we had taken Dad for his birthday a few years earlier.

When I saw the menu, I saw that they had a Chicken Fried Steak sandwich. I reminded me of my dad who loved Chicken Fried Steak. So, that's what I ordered. As I ate it, I was reminded of times we had taken Dad to different restaurants and he would order Chicken Fried Steak. I know it probably wasn't the best thing for me to do, but it really felt right!

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We Walked in a Procession Through the Veteran's Home

Romans 8: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

During the night before as I sat and held Dad's hand, I hoped and prayed that he didn't pass in the night, because I wanted him to have the procession as Veteran's Saluted him, which they only did during the day time.

Dad did pass during the day, but the funeral home was far away and they couldn't have the procession until they came with the gurney. I was told that they weren't allowed to have the procession after 6 p.m., because the maintenance people who played TAPS over the loud speaker would no longer be there. We waited and waited and waited. I explained to the nurse that I knew it was out of our hand if it the funeral home didn't get there in time, but asked her if we could wait until the last minute, because I wanted Dad to have that procession. 

I went down to the office and saw the van fro the funeral home arrive at 5:45. One of the nurses said she would take care of it and for me to get my husband to get into position. They announced that it was the last call for my Dad, and as they played TAPS, we walked down the Veteran's Home halls in a procession as Veteran's and staff saluted my dad who was draped with a flag. The majority of the Veteran's Home staff went outside to escort Dad as his remains were safely put into the funeral home van. The head nurse of Dad's hall and I looked at each other and said almost the same thing at the same time. It was a miracle! We had finished the procession by 6:00 and we both knew that Christ had His hand in making this possible!!! 


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I Left and Tried to Make It Back in Time

John 14: 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

I was trying to hurry back after my husband's dentist appointment, so I could go back to holding Dad's hand at his bedside. The Hospice nurse called when we had only traveled about 15 miles. She told me that Dad only had minutes. I told her to ask Dad to hold on, because we were on the way there to be with him. Five minutes later, the Hospice nurse called and told me that Dad had passed away peacefully. 

We finally got there and the Hospice nurse and Veteran's Home nurses were there to comfort me. I kept saying that we were trying so hard to get back to be with Dad before he passed, but couldn't make it back in time.

One of the Veteran's Home nurses said that she thinks that Dad passed while we were gone, because he wanted to spare me the pain of being there at his death. I thought about it, and it sounded exactly like something my dad would do. He always tried to protect me and I love him dearly for that! Later, I thought that even if Dad hadn't done that, my heavenly Father did, because the timing of Dad's passing was in His hands, so God was trying to spare me the pain fo being there when Dad actually passed.


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