Got to apologize again!  I know it has been a long time since I posted.  The amount of water that has gone under the bridge has been amazing.  Thank-goodness for Vickie's faithfulness, because I know most of you have been keep up with what is going on through her.  If it depended on me we would all be in trouble.  I know most of you are aware that my mother recently died.  It has not been easy but I was blessed with being able to speak at her visitation.  Enclosed is what God lead me to share. Let me know what you think. Going to be short today but I have a lot to share and will write soon.  Hope all of you have been blessed by God and all is going well.

Sincerely, MW

THOUGHTS OFFERED AT MY MOTHER’S VISITATION

God gave me the privilege and blessing to speak last April at out daughter’s funeral. And once again He has given me the opportunity to share heart and thoughts here at my Mother’s funeral.

Woody and I, plus our families, want to thank you very much for sharing this very special time with us.

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." [Psalm 118:20]

For you guys who know me probably know 2 things that stand out about me. One is that I don’t consider my cup half empty or half full, but my cup overflows! And the second thing is that I love to talk about God’s holy Word – the Bible!

God answered 2 prayers for me this week:

1. I prayed that when the time came Mom would not suffer. And she didn’t. She just stopped breathing and went to sleep – What a blessing!!
2. A lot of you know that I have a tough cancer [of which I never told my mother because I did not want her to worry] and I would pray that the good Lord would call my mother home before I died. I felt like that would really kill her and cause her a lot of pain and I did not want to put her through it.

This week, while setting with Mom I read a small book by Charles Surgeon dealing with death and dying and I would just like to share some comment he made with you guys. "I give my sheep eternal life, and they shall never parish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." [John 10:28] Spurgeon said: "you have something yet to learn if you are a Christian, and yet are not prepared to die. Should it not be the business of this life[which is temporal] to prepare for the next life [which is eternal] and, in that respect, to prepare to die? You will most surely have to die; why not think upon the inevitable. If I do not think of death, yet death will think on me. If I will not go to death by meditation and consideration, death will come to me. "All men count all men mortal but themselves". Those who die daily will die easily.

God will be with us in death. Job lost all 10 of his children at once. His friends and even his wife turned against him. She told him to "curse God and die1". If you know God , He will be with us even in our hour of death. Job said "thou shall bring me to death". He leadeth me even to those still waters which men so much fear. Psalms 23 says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me."

It is not living that is happiness, but living with God, it is not dying that will be wretcheness, but dying without God. Life is a short day at its longest, and when its sun goes down it leaves you in eternity.

I want to share two more thoughts with you as I close. I recently read a book by J.C. Rile; an Anglican Bishop in England in the late 1800’s entitles "Practical Religion". In it he asked the Question "How do you prepare for suffering, trials and dying?". His answer: "When you are healthy!" He went on to explain that you need to read and study the bible daily and know God’s word so that when, not if, but when trials and trouble comes, and they will come to all of us if we live long enough, because there is no way of escape. Then God will flood your mind with comfort and all His promises to be with us that only He can give and carry through.

Examples:

Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me."

Isa 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…"

1 Cor. 10:13 "God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

John 14:2 "In my Father’s house are many dwelling places…for I go to prepare a place for you."

Psalm 84:10 "A day in your court [O Lord] is better than a thousand elsewhere [on earth]".

1 Cor. 15:55 "O death where is your victory? O death where is your sting?"

Isa. 30:20 "…This is the way, walk in it."

Phil. 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice!"

John 10:28 "And I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand."

God’s holy word is loaded with comfort that only He can give.

About three months ago I went through 3 or 4 days where I felt really bad and just sit around the house and didn’t do anything. It crossed my mind that if this cancer fully developed that the pain and discomfort that I was going through was just the tip of the iceberg as to what I would experience in the future. I knew right then that I was going to need God’s help just to die well. A couple of weeks later I read the following story.

Their once was a young girl in a Nazi concentration camp who told her father that she did not know if she would be able to handle the torture when it comes. He asked her "When you take a train ride do I give you your ticket three week in advance or when do I give it to you?" She said, "You give me my ticket when I get on the train". He went on to say that when the torture comes God will give you the strength and mercy you need to handle it because His mercies are new daily. He won’t give it to you in advance but just at the right time when you really need it. Then I thought of my situation and that God’s will give me the strength and mercy when I go through the pain and not one-day before. God sure is wonderful.

Do you know guys that we are all one heartbeat away from heaven or hell if it wasn’t for God’s mercy and sustaining power? Can you say with confidence "I know that my Redeemer lives"?

I have some pamphlets entitled "Examine Yourself" because we are told in Scripture To examine ourselves daily (Acts 17:11) to see if we are in the word. I actually bought these for my funeral. I told the young lady when I ordered them that I wanted to pass them out at my funeral. Then I thought and said excuse me because I wanted someone else to pass them out at my funeral. Most people spend more time planning their vacation than planning where they will spend eternity.

I would love to tell you that there was 48 different ways to heaven but God’s word does not allow me to say that. God’s word says that there is only "ONE" way – for "whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13) and Jesus said that "I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me".

When you go to bed tonight you have no guarantee that you will wake up in the morning. Our daughter Kristi, who was just 35 years old, went to bed and never woke up again. So, I really want you to know in your heart, with confidence and assurance that only God can give, and you can say "I know my Redeemer lives". Today we weep, but not like those who have no hope!

Thank you for allowing my to share my heart with you.

Day three of THE PILL.   Plan "C" is now in effect. The pill is named Sutent, fairly new and targeted directly at the kidney.  Does not use the shotgun approach that a lot of the older chemo do.   So far all has gone well.  I have not noticed any side-effects yet.  Have been blessed with feeling good. I don't take it for grtanite - God has been good.  Have you ever stopped to think how many times our heart beats at night?  And that if any of those beats stop, it over, it's finished!  That is what happened  to our daughter Kristi.  There's is no reason that our heart should keep beeting , absolutely none, except God. If he wanted to, he could say to any one of thoses beats, "last beat," and I'm done.  You need to ash yourself  "Will I wake up in heaven or in hell?".  Pretty sobering question, and only you and God know the answer. 

I hope you enjoy the short story below, because it truly lifted my spirits this morning when I read it.  I think we all can relate.  Once's again it shows the Grace and mercies of our God.

Love you guys tremendously and thanks for all your continnued prayers - God is not finished with me yet! MW