Real Issues

[Stan]

OK, enough about who said or who did what...

What if...

You are about to visit a friend, your Mom or Dad, sister or brother, in the Hospital, not gonna live more than a few days.

Other than salvation...

1- What are the real issues in life????

2- AND why do we have to wait until that happens??

[Bravus]

To me, it's telling them that you love them... and perhaps why... and we don't wait at our place, we telle ach other every day.

[Dr. Shane]

My father was an alcoholic that abandoned us when I was about six years old. He came back when I was 19, in the National Guard and attending college. Obviously we were not close. I would send him a copy of my grades each quarter, call him and visit him occationally (he lived 2 hours from my school). I always told myself that I had to treat him in such a way that I would have no regrets when he died.

Well, looking back we can always see things we could have done that we didn't. My dad died of heart failure and all my siblings were filled with regrets at his funeral. I wasn't but, like I said, I have since thought of things I could-of/should-of done.

One thing I would tell him was the things I admired about him and how much I appreciated his advice. When I first started daring a Mexican girl, most in my family didn't look upon it in an approving way. My dad told me how happy he was that I was dating a Sabbath-keeper and never mentioned the fact she was Mexican.

I still have my mother and call her every couple of weeks to let her know how things are going with our little family. We record home videos and send to her. I wish I could send her more money but she tells me not to worry about that.

[Nan]

My father had a stroke at the age of 88 and over 10 weeks his condition deteriorated until he passed peacefully to his rest. He understood what was going on but did not say very much. The last time I saw him, a week before he died, I was talking, trying to think of things to say - I mentioned various things that had been family favourites and somehow started talking then about what heaven would be like. He uttered 2 words, "Such detail", in his normal voice and that was the last time I heard him speak. It is a very precious memory.

[Nicodema]

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Stan Jensen said:

What if...

You are about to visit a friend, your Mom or Dad, sister or brother, in the Hospital, not gonna live more than a few days.

Other than salvation...

1- What are the real issues in life????

2- AND why do we have to wait until that happens??

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(1) Making sure they know how much they are loved, how precious, special and important they are to me, and letting them have the chance to clear the air on anything that has been bothering them or has been held between us. In short, being able to say the Big Three: (a) I Love You; ( I'm Sorry, Please Forgive Me; and © I Forgive You.

Besides that? Just spending time together enjoying each other -- whatever time is left to you.

(2) We don't -- but sometimes that's easier said than done. Sometimes you're ready to communicate and the other person isn't ready or willing. Other times they are in the zone but you're not. Sometimes it just misfires when you or they try -- it just goes awry and makes things worse. I don't know why that is -- one of life's annoying quirks -- but it happens.

[olger]

Tell them the story of Ben Trying.

gcw

[Amelia]

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2- AND why do we have to wait until that happens??

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Because in our broken, falable human ways we believe everyone is a mind reader. We never say what is on our minds until that moment we FINALLY see that it needs to be said outloud.

[LifeHiscost]

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Bravus said:

To me, it's telling them that you love them... and perhaps why... and we don't wait at our place, we telle ach other every day.

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How fortunate you are, Bravus. Probably not so many have that experience. If I had it to do over again, I'd probably sit by my father's bedside and say, "You know I love you, Dad. Is there anything you'd like to say to me, or that I could do that might be helpful to you? Can I expect to see you in heaven?" And then I'd play it by ear, just waitng for the opportunity to tell him of the Savior I had come to learn to love, and why.

But then, see, that's all hypothetical. You see, he died of ALS six months after being diagnosed, and I didn't get a second chance.

However there is a silver lining to the story. For even though my heart was too hard for God to use me during my father's most trying time, God had a promise waiting for me in the wings. And even though my religiousness interfered with my compassion, the promises of God were still sure, and our Father gave me confirmation in a dream that the day would come when my earthly father and I would meet again after this earth's trials, based upon prayers answered and God's grace that is greater than all my lack, sins included.

[:"blue"] "When it is in the heart of man to do the will of God, and efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus takes this disposition as man's best service, and makes up for the deficiency with His own Divine merit." [/] EGW

[:"red"] "Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

"In that day you will not question Me about anything Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.

"Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full." [/] John 16:22-24 NASB

Keep looking up!!

[Nicodema]

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olger said:

Tell them the story of Ben Trying.

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The Gospel and the Story of Ben Trying

[Pockey]

Whoa, I like that. Thanks Olger and Nico for posting it.

Something just hit me when I read the last paragraph. The cross is evidence that Jesus loves us, right? Please tell me so. I can't believe it took me so long to realize that.

[Nicodema]

Sid, the cross is not only evidence that Jesus loves US, it is evidence that He loves us even while we were His enemies!! It is when He was hanging on the cross, suffering excruciating agony in both body & spirit, that He prayed, "Father, FORGIVE THEM -- for they KNOW NOT what they do." I love this prayer because it gives me hope. In my mind, those horrible people knew EXACTLY what they were doing. AND SO DO WE when we sin and know we are doing wrong. But Jesus always loves, so He always sees us in the most compassionate light possible: e.g. they don't realize the FULL IMPACT, MEANING, RAMIFICATIONS & REPERCUSSIONS of their actions in this moment so they "know not" what they do. And we have this hope that He loves us with full compassion and looks upon even our hostility and rebellion with this same compassion.

[LifeHiscost]

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Nicodema said:

...the cross is not only evidence that Jesus loves US, it is evidence that He loves us even while we were His enemies!! It is when He was hanging on the cross, suffering excruciating agony in both body & spirit, that He prayed, "Father, FORGIVE THEM -- for they KNOW NOT what they do." I love this prayer because it gives me hope. But Jesus always loves, so He always sees us in the most compassionate light possible: e.g. they don't realize the FULL IMPACT, MEANING, RAMIFICATIONS & REPERCUSSIONS of their actions in this moment so they "know not" what they do. And we have this hope that He loves us with full compassion and looks upon even our hostility and rebellion with this same compassion.

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>>In my mind, those horrible people knew EXACTLY what they were doing. AND SO DO WE when we sin and know we are doing wrong.<<

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OTOH having lost someone I dearly loved, all the while believing myself to be pursueing God's will for my life, and not until later having a "eureka" moment that continued to this day, I've learned not to trust myself to "know" exactly what is happening in another person's mind, no matter how blatantly wrong it might appear to me.

[:"red"]"Love.... is ever ready to believe the best of every person..." [/] 1 Corinthians 13:7 AMP

[:"red"] "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." [/]

Proverbs 3:5 KJV

Blessings!!